Love the food, best Mexican I've ever had! Everything that I have ever ordered has been great. This is the best location of the four and whenever I am in town I make sure to stop in for my Mexican food fix!
(5)
Emily V.
I dig this place. The servers are nice, the food is decent, the atmosphere is comfy (kind of feels like an Applebee's). A tad too pricey for what you get, but not by much. The medium margarita is massive, but the taste is nothing to write home about. The ceviche is freaking delicious, although really spicy. But I'm sure that next time I can ask them to lay off the jalapenos a bit.
(3)
Heidi B.
Get the carnitas plate....it is the best I have ever had and I'm from San Diego! The enchiladas were ok but the margaritas are HUGE!
(4)
Scott P.
I really liked this place. We had the pork fajitas, they were GREAT. Tons of food, perfectly cooked veggies (many over cook them), great flavoring and a good price. I asked for extra tortillas, they brought a bunch and didn't charge us for them. The beer price was pretty average, but they did have a large selection. The chips and salsa was good, no the best I have had. It is our new place to get Mexican food. Try it, you will like it.
(4)
Andrea M.
:)
(4)
Ty R.
Overall it's an ok place nice decor friendly staff good food but I feel 14$ for 3 rellenos is a bit over the top
(3)
Michelle G.
SO................The old Benningans next to the gas station had someone new moving in. I was excited it seemed to be a small business so I vowed to visit as soon as it opened. I did. My boo ordered the ceviche de pescado and I had the enchilada suizas. The ceviche was top notch don't tell my uncle but it was better than his. (head flinching from the smack I would normally feel if I made this comment.) Drinks were never empty and everyone made sure we were enjoying the evening. The enchiladas were good, plate was huge and I took half home to add scrambled eggs to the next morning. Went back 2 days later for breakfast. Boo had the ceviche again (still amazing with warm tostadas mmmm.) I had enchiladas again just cheese this time with scrambled eggs a personal favorite. These enchiladas weren't as good but decent. I prefer white cheese. Again amazing service. Went back last night (yes, yes I know that's three times in one week). But dang that ceviche has a hold on me! We started with that boo had the taquiza de tacos y yo carne asada with tortillas de maiz. Again delicious!!!! We will be back I know that for sure. Sometimes a Mexican needs a night off from cooking the normal. Amazing service--the waiter remembered us :D Oh yea and after reading the menu I found out they had 3 other locations, ha ha not such a small business. Oh well amazing service and food makes it special enough!
(4)
Jorge O.
Bad service!, Horrible food! When we got our food it was cold! The ladies there thought we didn't speak Spanish and when we returned the cold food they got mad and started talking crap about us! We didn't even wait to get another plate because of that, we didn't trust if they would do something to our food. They have an attitude like they don't need customers, i would not recommend it to friends, family or anyone.
(1)
Jenna A.
Holy moly, I know Mexican restaurants have big menus but this was insane. So many choices and variations, I just had to pick something I know would be good. I ordered the chicken fajitas and my man got the chicken chimichanga. I'm not always a huge fan of Mexican food but this place was really good. We left not feeling too full because we opted against an appetizer which would have been completely unnecessary after we saw the entree servings! The fajita order was enormous and full of onions, red, green and orange bell peppers. I ate three tortillas full, boyfriend had one and I still had enough for a big lunch the next day. They even gave me more tortillas to go. My man inhaled his chimichanga, the sauce that smothered it was really tasty. Chips were warm and the salsa was spicy and we poured it in our entrees. Good prices, amazing service. They were all dressed in black and white and were extremely attentive. I would definitely come back again when we're in the area.
(4)
John A.
Just stay away! I don't have a single positive thing to say about this place. Is there a Colorado board of health?
(1)
Cinde W.
I can't get past the mystery "meat-paste-Alpo" ground beef tacos. Disgusting. No idea what it I'd but it is not ground beef. I couldn't eat it and it ruined the rest of the meal. Had a couple bites of a tamale...bland, no flavor at all. The flauta was bland also, and very small. Won't be back. Seriously, that meat-paste was too much!
(1)
Ascary M.
Excellent carnitas plate is always a good bet and so is the Queso fondido appetizer. Good service too be here many times.
(5)
Steven Z.
Not looking promising. Sat me in a two seat booth with my friend and I'm not huge but it was tight. We moved to the bar and menu was dirty/nasty. Needs to be clean. We were asked several times if we wanted water which we replied yes but we never did see it. Food was average. I think I'll stay with my favorite Mexican restaurant in Littleton.
(2)
Paul S.
Overall not a bad place, similar food to Tafalino's in Lakewood, good but nowhere near great. Their salsa is amazing but their chips are pretty crappy so that is kind of annoying. Their margaritas are freakin huge, definitely a good thing in my opinion. Food was pretty good, I had one of their combos, a smothered chicken burrito, bean tostada, and a beef taco. Like I said, it was ok but nothing amazing. My waiter was cool and was there when I needed and quick. But he was not constantly at my table bothering me, I can't stand that personally.
(3)
Dave E.
Food is okay. Nothing special. What pissed me off though is that they would not honor their 10% off after checking into their business. It's BS for a business to advertise a coupon and then deny it when you're a customer. My waiter was Jesus and the manager he talked to was also the bartender. Watch out for this business. Not sure what other shady stuff goes on here.
(1)
Jauhna M.
One of my favorite Mexican spots in town! The service is unbeatable, friendly, attentive staff that check up regularly, keep our drinks topped off and make sure we are happy. And they were great with our 2 year old, talking and joking her and making the whole family feel welcome. The food is good, I've had stale chips once or twice but the salsa is great and the entrees have always been hot, delicious and generously portioned. My favorite part was the cucumber margarita! I'll be back for many reasons but this margarita was absolutely to die for, I'm craving it just writing about it :)
(4)
Lana S.
Quite a disgusting place. My boyfriend called it a glamorized Taco Bell. Although we did not have high expectations given the terrible reviews, this place managed to even disappoint our already ridiculously low expectations. I have never had stale worm corn chips in my entire life. Yup, stale warm corn chips. It's beyond my comprehension how El Tapatio, given the high volume of customers, manages not to have fresh corn chips. Heck, even if I leave a bag of store bought corn chips out for 2 months they still don't taste nearly as bad. Now what's the best way to cover up the staleness of the chips? That's right, warm them up. Unfortunately, this created quite a nasty combination. The salsa that comes with the chips is equally gross. The house margarita tasted like a terrible cheap, high corn fructose loaded mix with a splash of tequila. Now lets move on to our entrees. IMHO chimichanga should be crispy. Our chimichanga was mildly warmed up in the frying pan and covered in green chili. Green chili was probably the only edible thing in the whole dish. The ground beef was a bit questionable. No wait, I questioned its origin and quality a lot. The 15 dollar mixed seafood cocktail was gross at best (vuelve a la vida). Yeah, what did I expect? They did have a lot of seafood dishes on the menu, so I assumed it was going to be decent. The tomato sauce tasted rancid. The scallops were not even cooked, oysters tasted like they came straight from a 10 year old can. The shrimps were okish. Oh well, here is what we get for not listening to Yelpers!
(2)
Michael H.
This is our go-to place to have dinner and leave happy. The food is pretty straight forward American/Mexican food. Simple and delicious and the portions are more than enough. I'm sure everyone else has mentioned it but the margaritas are huge. If you're in the neighborhood and looking for a good one then this is your best option. Finally I don't typically give much weight to service but I've been here enough to know that it's consistently quick and friendly. Prices are also more than reasonable and the bar area is a decent place to catch the game.
(5)
Niki V.
Was a little hesitant to try this location because I've only been to the Alameda location. And it's always great. It was a Sunday and we were craving Micheladas so off we went. I had a tacos platter that came with carnitas, tripitas, Asada, and some.other ones..and they were great. I also ordered a half dozen of ostiones. And these oysters were by far the best I've ever had anywhere. They were big, fresh, served with sliced purple onions, and jalapenos. SOOOOOOO GOOD. I haven't stopped craving them since. And I even Got the BF to try them. He actually didn't mind them. We Will be back soon.
(4)
Dirk V.
Food was hot and came fast. Tasted good. Staff is friendly. Mexican music in background but lots of screens tuned to different sports channels.
(5)
Christina R.
I accidentally ordered my take-out from the wrong location, and the hostesses and server were so understanding. They sped up my order for five people and we were in and out within 10 minutes! We were so impressed, and they even have is a very generous portion of chips and salsa to-go. So thankful to them!
(5)
Khampha K.
I thought this place was going to be "Mexican-American" but once I sat down, took in the atmosphere and got my food it all sunk in...this place is like authentic Mexican food and it's really good. Their camarones diablas are my favorite. Very, very spicy... Just how I like it!! If I go anywhere else for this dish, I'm never satisfied. Glad I decided to check this place out. Excellent and authentic with a lot of variety on the menu
(4)
Shaun S.
I am a fan!! I passed by this place hundreds of times and thought, "oh great, here's another Mexican restaurant." Over a week ago, we stopped in for the first time, and I am writing this review because it exceeded my expectations. What I expected was a place that had a list of Mexican combinations (like some protein wrapped in a tortilla). On the way in, I saw their "Specials" sign that featured steaks, fish, lobster, and shrimp. Immediately, my appetite changed for something more than the ubiquitous Mexican dishes that I expected. We sat at the bar (both times) and I ordered a BIG beer and she got a HUGE pour of wine, and both were inexpensive. Then they brought us chips and salsa. First, the salsa has no detectable onions, and secondly, the salsa is HOT!! Anybody who has read my reviews knows that I HATE onions, love inexpensive booze, and love spicy food. Perusing the menu, I realized that there are dozens of items that I would like to try. I chose the Relleno Shrimp -- 7 large shrimp wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and served with a spicy Mexican flavored BBQ sauce, beans, rice, and avocados. Holy Good. The bacon was crisp and the shrimp were not overcooked. They were so awesome that I ordered them again later in the week. She ordered some steak dish that was marinated and seasoned awesomely. Don't expect a filet or ribeye, but rather think marinated flank streak. It was cooked more on the well side, but it was juicy and not overly done. The flavor was excellent. I am ashamed to admit that my preconceptions kept me out of this place for most of the past decade (I remember eating at Bennigan's though). What impressed me was that the steak and seafood tasted like the great steak and seafood that I have eaten on the Western Mexican Coast. I will go back many times for seafood and steaks. The only negatives that I can comment is that the servers use the bar to serve the people seated in the tables surrounding the bar. They leave trays on the bar and hit bar patrons on the back with the service trays. If you watch Bar Rescue, you would know that John Taffer would scream that the empty tray left on the bar stool or left on an (seemingly) empty bar place is costing them at least $10k in lost revenue!!!! There must be a better and less intrusive way. And when using the 10% Yelp Check In Offer, they tried saying that it was for another location, but I showed them that it was based on GPS and listed their address. They did honor it after a few awkward minutes. I cannot review the burritos, chimichangas, tacos, etc. In fact, I will probably never try any of that Americanized crap because the other food is so good. I recommend that next time you want steak or seafood, think outside the box and give this place a try.
(4)
Rahyma P.
Everything was delicious, I wish we had known how big the dishes were before we order, on the other hand the 18% tip was added to out total without us knowing. Good food though.
(4)
Vic M.
I give four stars. The first time we came here i had the steak ranchera and it wasnt great it had no flavor. Well today I got a mojcahete or however you spell it and i am very happy lol i recommend trying it! Oh and our waiter is the reason its not a 5 star review. No chips and salsa didnt take our order the bartender did. The bartender gets the tip!
(4)
Mila G.
We had great service here, and food was really good. Nice atmosphere, and it was quiet enough to still talk.
(4)
Maria M.
The margaritas were decent, I'll admit. The food was not. I read some of the reviews but decided to give it a shot and I was so in the mood for Mexican. First we started off with chips and salsa. The salsa was nice and thick and the chips were thick but good. Then we read in menu they charge for refills on chips and salsa?! Ha ha ha!!! Wow! We proceed to get Mexican combinations with a chile relleno, enchilada, taco, and some guacamole tostada. Ordered a tamale on the side just to try. The meal said it came with rice and beans there was no beans and the rice was maybe a few spoonfuls. As you can see the plates were slopped on with excess sauces. It was bland and lacked any presentation. Everything just seemed barely thrown together and they even charge you for refills on non alcoholic drinks! I showed the waiter my yelp 10% discount and it al oat felt he didn't want to give it to me. We asked for our check to be split in 2 and he said he couldn't. After the look I must have had in my face he came back with 2 checks. Worse experience and really lousy food! You get better authentic Mexican at Taco Bell!
(1)
Heather P.
The house margarita was weak and on the sweet side. Chile relleno and cheese enchilada were undercooked (although they replaced them). You could tell the chips were old and I wasn't impressed with the salsa. I have yet to find good Mexican food in Arvada, or Colorado for that matter. No manager visited our table, which seems like should have happened.
(1)
Kiersten S.
Been there many times before and left very happy. Stopped in on 5/16/15. The bartender made our "top shelf" margaritas with bottom shelf tequila not the hornitos reposado that we ordered and than used gran gallo instead of the Gran Marnier that we requested . Being in the industry we questioned her about this and she tried to explain how it was "basically the same thing". We took one sip out of our margaritas and left. As a restaurant they should know that hiring a cutie blonde who doesn't know how to make a top shelf drink is not going to impress your customers. Huge fail!
(1)
Lani P.
W'eve been hitting this place several times a month especially in the evening after working out at Lakeshore. I really do like this place and the menu is very extensive. I don't bother really checking in anymore since the last few times, they said the 20% off coupon from our yelp check-in is for the other place..UMMM well Hello the other Tapatio is too far for the check-in to work, so they really need to fix this. THe food, while not the best, is pretty good and is pretty huge portions. I say this is a worthy place to eat no more than once a month and I've made it a point to lessen going here. I always get their tacos and I've tried they're white fish plate before. Other than that I'm not really open to anything else on the menu.
(4)
Alethea S.
I'm a gringo who loves Mexican food and thankfully Denver has a ton of really great places to eat. El Tapatio isn't one of them. They are about as original as the Bennigans that came before them in this spot. I'll cut to the chase. The chips and salsa was really good. The Tacos al Carbon arrived with so many Jalapeno peppers that I could barely find the meat. When I mentioned to the waiter, Manuel, that the food was ridiculously spicy, owing to the 3/4 cup of peppers for 3 little tacos, he laughed. Not a good sign. The kids enjoyed their plates and the kids menu was actually really decent. I should have ordered off their menu. This is the problem with the place: the service is lousy, the food is really hit or miss and the atmosphere is Bennigans. Save your money and frequent some of the mom n pop shops that do a much better, more consistent, job.
(1)
Ryan V.
I am so disappointed in this restaurant. I have had really good food here once, every time since, it's been bland. Very bland. The banana split is the only positive thing about this entire place. My girlfriend says the same thing. On top of the poor food, every time I go here, I leave a good tip and when I check my bank statement the payment is always more then what I signed for. It's less than a dollar difference, but making me pay $0.60 more than what I signed for on my bill is not only wrong, it's illegal. This place needs to be checked out ,now.
(2)
June L.
This is the first time I've been to this location ( I usually go to their location in Lakewood.) Our server was friendly but a service was slow. We ordered nachos as our appetizer they were good, but the jalapeño we from a can not fresh. Otherwise our food and dinning experience was good. Not sure if I would come back to this location tho.
(3)
Rachel C.
For an old Bennigan's turned Mexican restaurant, this place is not too shabby. They offer your typical assortment of traditional Mexican dishes, as well as breakfast served all day. Unlimited chips and salsa and cheap beer prices were also a plus. I ordered one of their combo options and was pleased with the portion sizes. We asked for extra hot chile and were sadly disappointed. This is a good run of the mill neighborhood Mexican joint.
(3)
James S.
A good Mexican restaurant. My wife and I had Steak Fajita's, and a Quesadilla. The food was alright, not great. I'd return, but the service was slow and UN-attentive, hence the 3 star review. Not the top spot in Arvada for sure.
(3)
Sara S.
I went to El Tapatio a couple months back, and was treated to sub-par wait service. My food was pretty good, but I just can't get over how restaurants can make it while their wait staff is rude and ignoring most of the time. I specifically remember sitting with an empty water and soda glass for the whole entire time. Yep, not one refill was offered, even on the water! He took forever to take our orders as well! It will be a while before I return to this El Tapatio. I will still head to the one off Wads and Alameda! Maybe it was just an off night for our server....
(2)
Leahrae A.
Sitting on the patio having a margarita is great. The margaritas are good, and they are big. Haven't always ate dinner here, but what I did have was good. Not exceptional, but good mexican food. But the margaritas alone, on the patio when the weather is warm....can't be beat. Great evening place in Arvada.
(4)
Christian S.
Pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Service was okay, food was okay. I would go back if I was in the area and needed to eat but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)
Dave B.
12/09/2011 Still just 3 stars from me. Our service was slow and indifferent. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that your mere presence as a customer has ruined their day? My daughter asked for some extra lettuce and they charged us $1 for a small portion of shredded lettuce. In my opinion, when Dad is drinking the high-margin beer, you don't charge for a smidgen of lettuce. It is not the $1, it is the principle. I went outside the envelope and order a burger medium rare. It came that way with a huge amount of crisp fries. 11/28/2011 If Mexican-Americans decided to re-create Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant, this would be it. Large bar and cutesy photos from Mexico instead of Texas. I ate the bean burrito with chicarron on top. It was OK. The service was pleasant.
(3)
Tracie B.
El Tapatio is what La Fonda, Holly Inn etc, ought to be. Yes, it's like the Tex-Mex version of Chili's (okay, full disclosure here - I like Chili's). It's contrived but I can forgive that because the food is very, very good. My standard Mexican test is a smothered bean burrito and El Tapatio gets a solid B+/A-. It's the right size, the beans are flavorful and it's smothered in spicy, well seasoned green chili. I've been there twice and had a great experience both times.
(4)
mike m.
!!!
(5)
D W.
This place has alright food. Not any better than I can make at home. The service at this place in particular is TERRIBLE. My husband and I waited almost 10 minutes to be seated and then a large family came in behind us. They were seated first! Unbelievable. I am utterly disappointed.
(1)
Danny F.
Amazing food, great staff every time we come in for lunch! Love coming here and bringing clients. Keep up the good work!
(5)
Erin S.
My friend and I came here for lunch a while back as our normal spot was closed for some remodeling. I have had people tell me that this is a really great place and the food is amazing. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. I don't even know where to start. The green chile had no flavor or heat at all, the beans were flavorless even after adding salt. The chips were ok, but the salsa was totally watered down and completely flavorless. I have never left a Mexican restaurant hungry but I did this time. The only reason I am giving 2 stars is because of our waiter. I am not sure if the no flavor is typical of this place, but I am pretty sure I won't give it a second chance to find out.
(2)
David M.
I went here yesterday for a big group event. We called a week in advance to reserve a spot and then called again two days before to confirm the reservation. By the time we got there, there were no tables set up. They tried to put something together for our party but tried shoving 22 people into a space for 15. When we approached the manager he walked away from us and ignored what we had to say. He handled this situation horribly and said he wouldn't even want our business. Overall horrible experience and I would not recommend going here as they are not willing to accommodate their customers.
(1)
David L.
Terrible. Save your money. Bland everything. Even the chips they use for the chips and salsa were bland. Saw the "Today's Specials" sign when we walked in. When we were seated I asked the waiter what the specials were and he said he didn't know and that I could go look at the sign again. I asked if they had something in print that had the specials listed, and he just looked at me and said "no" and walked away. So I'm to go back to the entrance and look at the sign, and try to memorize it or take a photo of it to share the info with my wife and daughter?? ... Or your waiter could just have a list of them to read off to me? Maybe? Started off by ordering the queso... Turned out to be velvetta. No joke. Velvetta "cheese". Sub-par ground beef, mystery slop on everything, and chewy steak on the fajitas. Terrible. Save your money.
(1)
Sabrina W.
Service was excellent! We were seated fast, and everyone was on the ball, literally running from the tables to the kitchen. They were very friendly! I also like the quiet atmosphere- music was at a decent volume and we could talk without yelling at each other. Food was good too. We were delighted to find that they actually provided enough tortillas for the fajitas - most restaurants do not. My husband felt like the food needed more salt (easy fix), but overall the food was good. I wouldn't say it was unusually awesome compared to other Mexican restaurants, but it was right in there with the flavor and quality. We will come again!
(4)
Sarah E.
Good service, and the bartender makes a great Presidente and Coke! Had a great time having friends getting together and great drinks! The margaritas are huge!
(3)
Samantha T.
We remembered the restaurant being good but not today. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband ordered the shrimp adovado. Both of ours were terrible. The service was super slow too. Our draft beers were good as was the queso.
(2)
Dawn H.
My son ordered the chicken tacos and the chicken was dry and tough. Toward the end of the meal he bit into one of the tacos and hurt his tooth. Found a piece of twine in the chicken. Worst part, the Manager would not even acknowledge what my husband was showing him. Couldn't believe it. A good manager would take responsibility and at least apologize and hopefully prevent it from happening again.
(1)
Tiffany W.
Has this place changed? Or maybe I was just really hungry the first time I ever ate here. Heck, I was really hungry when I ate here this time but it didn't seem to have the same effect on me. I met a friend for lunch and was happy to see they had several lunch specials. They also have happy hour (including food specials) in the bar but the server took the specials card away before I realized what was on the back and got a chance to read it (darn it). Our basket of chips was alright. They had a kind of funky oil taste to them, but nothing that the large bowl of salsa that came with couldn't cover up. I appreciate that ET serves a regular-size portion of salsa -- none of this 1/4 cup for chip dippers. It's a portion us chip scoopers can appreciate. And it's got a nice kick without being unbearable. For our meals I ordered the El Tapatio Special sans chicken or beef (veggies only) for $7.99, and my friend got the green chili plate with flour tortillas for $4.99, with a side of cheese for $1.50. The El Tapatio Special is basically a cheese quesadilla covered with fajita mix: onions, peppers, canned mushrooms, and meat if you order it. SUPER greasy. It's served with standard rice, beans, and sour cream. The green chili plate is literally a plate of chili (that has large chunks of meat) served with tortilla(s). Service was quick, as was our foods' arrival to the table. The place seemed to be a popular lunch spot. And as far as food goes, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't all that good, either. I think it was a little too greasy for my liking. Is this what all Mexican food is like? I rarely have it at restaurants when it's so easy to make at home, so I just can't be sure. Although now that I think about it, for a vegetarian it's usually goopy cheese covered with more goopy cheese and red chili, so it all makes sense. I appreciate that they were willing to accommodate my request for no meat. And truly that third star comes from the generous serving of salsa. I'm not in any rush to visit again but, for those times when I want Mexican but I don't feel like making it myself, well, there's always Mexican Bennigans.
(3)
Sara B.
Came back here the other night and they still have consistently good food. This time around, I ordered the steak Mexicano. It was really tender and cooked perfectly! I am impressed every time that I come.
(5)
Mike E.
A few of us stopped in for dinner at the El Tapatio in Arvada last Friday and pretty much got what we were expecting - decent food and some drinks. The parking lot was pretty full but they were still able to seat us right away on the patio. We ordered up some beers and margs, and then got a preview of what was to come as far as the service goes - as it took about 15-20 minutes to get our drinks out to us. BTW, a couple of people got the medium marg and were very glad they didn't go for the large one, they were huge! I went for the combo #7, which came with a smothered chicken burrito, a beef taco, and a bean tostada. It took forever and a day to get our food but when it did come everything was OK, but IMO the green chile was a little on the tame side. Everyone else in our group also thought their food was pretty good - a couple of chimi's and a couple of fajita's (chicken and shrimp). I'm not sure why they are as busy as they are, maybe it's the lack of other choices in that area. It seemed much busier than the other locations I've been too. It was nice to see that the food seems to be pretty much the same in all their locations, as sometimes local chains can have problems maintaining consistency. All in all it was a fun time, and I'm sure I'll be back for more at some point.
(3)
Jeremy C.
Hmmm, being a gringo it is hard to take my review of Mexican places seriously. Anyhow I do love some Mexican food, I love local mom and pop shops. I was always under the impression that El Tapatio was one of those. Turns out it is a chain restaurant. Chips and salsa are good, well they are about as good as it gets for chips and salsa lol. Lots of cilantro in there which is a little strange. I love the tacos, love the number 8 combination (three tacos, rice and beans). I also love the steak fajitas. They have good deserts and giant drinks which is great when you are looking at getting some Mexican food. Downside is that the service can be hit and miss at the locations. I wish it was consistent and could recommend it to everyone.
(4)
Brandy V.
I love this place, my family and I have not experienced any bad dishes. Get a side of the chili asado with your meat or seafood dish. They are grilled jalapeños with seasonings.
(5)
Dori S.
Compliments to the staff at this restaurant- they are very friendly and we received great service. Unfortunately, I feel sick just thinking about the food at this place. It reminded me of Chi-Chi's from 1977- when gringos were first introduced to the concept of chain Mexican food. I ordered a fajita combo quesadilla and the meat was bland, unseasoned and the beef tasted old and stale. The margaritas were bland and watered-down. There are too many other great choices to over-pay for poor quality food. Just say'n. :(
(1)
Happy C.
Service is HORRIBLE: I was seated by an indifferent hostess and then ignored completely by waitstaff that walked back and forth past my table about 6 times. I walked out after waiting 10 minutes for someone to approach my table. Did I mention there were only 3 other customers in the entire restaurant? I won't be back.
(1)
Joe J.
The food and service here were both average. I will usually go for steak fajitas at new Mexican restaurants. I wasn't very impressed with the fajitas here. They cooked the typical green pepper/onion accompanying veggies too long. They were pathetically limp and had been sauced up and cooked so long that they were nearly the same color!! Green peppers are.... green..... and onions are a light whitish pinky/purple. Both of them were a dark brownish WAY over carmelized color. Bleh! The salsa was good with the tortilla chips and I usually am picky about them. Thumbs up there. Unfortunately, the best part of the meal was my beer. Guess its hard to mess that up. An average eatery with a fairly decent atmosphere. Not that wonderful.
(3)
Teresa L.
Good service, great lunch specials, and very good food. The prices were a bit high, though, so I'd probably go back for lunch if anything. They had the most extensive shrimp section that I've ever seen on a Mexican menu before.... and some of them looked awesome! Bacon-wrapped and stuffed with cheese? Yes please!
(4)
Kat A.
Tacos al carbon, chicken quesadillas, burritos, tamales...between four of us, we ate a stupid amount of food last night. Add to the feasting some horchata, a couple glasses of Fanta, two baskets of chips and about a half gallon of salsa, and daaaaaaaaamn. I was leery of the place - not too sure why. The service was spectacular, and my husband was over the moon that we opted to celebrate his birthday here. Their dishes have heat. I'm a spice wuss when it comes to Mexican food, so my steak tacos and the green mystery peppers threatened to do me in (which would probably be considered medium spice at most by others), but the meal was really good - and I loved the carmelized onions. Furthermore: holy crap, tons of food. I have at least two more meals to go. As it was the husband's birthday, the celebration wrapped up with some cheesecake loaded with whipped cream. The prices were a little higher than I'm used to for Mexican food, but the guys I dined with couldn't say enough good things about the place. I have no doubt it will become a staple for my husband who worships at the Mexican food alter.
(4)
Dani A.
Not only does this place have great food but the service was also fantastic. I ended up going twice in a row and would most definitely recommend this place to friends! I also plan on going back several more times!
(5)
Mikhal E.
I ordered the steak fajitas and they were fantastic. The meat was high quality and the veggies were cooked perfectly. We ordered a couple of drinks, the guacamole dip, the steak fajitas, and the chicken fajitas; and the total was only about $55. I'd say that's pretty reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food we got. I'd give them 5 stars, but our first waitress was rude. The waitress that took over for her was great though, extremely friendly and helpful.
(4)
Sarah W.
The food here is somewhat inconsistent, but we always receive good service and end up leaving satisfied. Sometimes the food seems much spicier than others and on one occasion, the meat was very underseasoned. However, typically the food is good and flavorful and the drinks are delicious! Their margaritas are huge, yummy, and reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol you receive. Also, the staff has always been friendly and very accomodating, so overall, this place is great when you are craving some good Mexican-American cuisine accompanied by a giant margarita.
(4)
Wesley Z.
The food tasted great. I had a Chimichanga and the chicken was well done. The salsa was also pretty good with decent chips. The staff was friendly although they did forget about my salsa and chips for a while.
(4)
Larry P.
With so many mexican resturants in town, this one is okay. There are much better ones. The staff is good. The food is not that great. Like a glorified Taco Bell. Not much flavor. Do yourself a favor and go to a better place.
(2)
Mark B.
I don't know how anybody could give this place less than three stars. I have been to this location almost a half dozen times and at least that many more to the golden and south Wadsworth locations. Every time I get friendly and attentive service and good food. They don't play the music too loud, they put what I want on tv, and the crowd is always the same. Some people knock the chain aspect of this brand but rest assured that they are a Colorado company and you can visit their original location next to the belmar shopping center anytime you like. Others also seem to knock on the lack of "wow" factor in the cuisine. This is the only reason why I give this restaurant four stars. This isn't a place for your anniversary dinner, it's a place for your "I don't wanna cook tonight" dinner. The food is always good and that is one of the several reasons that I continue to come back to this establishment.
(4)
Scot P.
Tucked between a carpet and tile store and The Country Buffet is this little jem. Actually several little gems along the front range. Although the decor and atmosphere is very much like a Chilis the service is fantastic and the food even better. Plus, Mexican on St Patricks day is fun and deviant. The Carna Asada was juicy with a brave little bowl of it's own sauce and the rest well, you'll have to find out for yourself. It was good enough for a second try and I'll update my review after that.
(3)
Vanessa B.
My husband and I are Mexican aficionados, and our children are becoming so. We like this place a lot, all four of us. The kids menu is great, they have handled our gluten free requests really easily, prices are good and service is fine. Husband and I always order seafood, for what it's worth. We have never tried any of the cheese smothered combos so I can't speak to those. We have a family member who is Mexican (from Mexico, not just of Mexican descent, so a good judge of Mexican food) and we brought him to the Lakewood location and he too was a fan of El Tapatio, for whatever that is worth. He too ordered seafood.
(4)
Linda B.
I went to this restaurant this past weekend with a party of 10 (5 kids, 5 adults), and although the food and service were supposedly fine, we were lied to by the servers and overcharged without our consent. Since the bill was to be split between 3 people, we had all cash except one credit card. The server came back and informed us that their credit card system was "out of service", so we ended up paying in cash. As we looked at our bank account, our credit card was charged, and to top it off, it was charged more than what should have been owed. Regardless of food, a business should not try to cheat and lie to their customers. I do not recommend this restaurant, and I ask anyone who goes, to make sure they check their financials.
(1)
Krista S.
Their parking lot is ALWAYS full so of course I HAD to check it out. =) I had a combination type thing since it was my first time there, the enchilada was eh...the taco was eh...but the chile rellano OMG it was FANTASTIC!!! It puts 3 margaritas rellanos to shame!!! Basically their food is eh...except for the rellanos, so if you don't like rellanos I would go somewhere else.
(3)
Tiara Q.
We were expecting an average time based on the other reviews but everything here is excellent. The salsa was fresh, a little spicy, lots of cilantro. We ordered the shrimp rellanos and they were amazing. The shrimp were huge, filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon. Neither of us could finish the plate since the portion was so large. The mojito and margs were on point too. The service was immaculate. Can't believe the place was empty! Will definitely return. Would have given 5 stars if the beans weren't so salty, the rice was Spanish style and they took down the old bennigans decor.
(4)
Carlos M.
I want to give this place 4 stars but I just can't do it. This place is ok for the most part the wife and I go there every so often and its usually pretty good and service is usually fast.(although last night they were really slow and it wasn't even busy.) The chips and salsa are good and the guacamole is yummy too. I will say this I think they have the best ceviche de pescado around. That is pretty much the only thing I order when I go,its that good! I have had a couple of other things and they're ok. The wife usually orders a combo plate and is full and happy when she's done eating so I guess that's a good thing.The wife always orders a strawberry margarita too and they are huge and strong. So that's another plus for the place. So all in all its an ok joint for Mexican food with for the most part good and fast service. Its nothing special and will curb your appetite for Mexican, of course there are better in my opinion,but I hate reading reviews when people say "go to blah blah's a couple blocks up the street they are way better...."
(3)
Stefanie C.
Finding decent Mexican food in Denver is harder than you might think. I'm not saying that El Tapatio has aced that field, but they do fairly well. I've been several times and prefer it over the Arvada/Westminster Three Margaritas (don't get me started). Service is great, food is hot and to the table in a flash...and it's even quite tasty. BUT, I have noticed they are pretty heavy handed with the salt. Now, I'm a salt girl myself, but they even have me reaching for the water. That being said, I am happy they are one of the few places that offers chicharones (pork rinds) burritos AND if they do charge extra, its less than a dollar; unlike other places ($3+). It's definitely one of my Go Tos, but I just gotta remember to take off my rings at bed that night!
(4)
Kelly J.
The food here is very good. However the service is just god awful, just absolutely incompetent. 3 times I have gotten take out, 3 times my order has been missing stuff. I've had them hang up on me when calling, called ordered waited 20 minutes before going in only to arrive to find my order hasn't been entered into their system yet. It's just not worth the hassle. I won't be going back.
(1)
Linda V.
This restaurant opened recently in a former Bennigan's. The menu is what you'd expect from a Mexi place. Service is great. You can't go wrong with their seafood dishes. For a healthier Mexi option, get the Camarones Mojo de Ajo. It comes w/white rice and fresh avacodo slices and tortillas. Delicious, very flavorful. We've never had bad service here. Hubby loves the pork chops. Their mole sauce is one of the best we've had in the Denver area.
(3)
A R.
Don't waste your time on this salty mess that they call Mexican food. The only saving grace were the chips, salsa and margaritas...in that order. If you do like salt licks then by all mean go for it but if not then spend your time and money elsewhere.
(1)
Rebecca B.
The Banana-Orange Margarita deserves 5 Stars...everything else was- "Meh". My friend and I stopped in here late one evening. We were seated and waited a bit for our waitress to arrive. When she did, we asked her what kind of flavored margarita's they had. She listed a few and seemed a bit flustered, ( I think there was a language barrier). She then said she'd be "right back." Ten minutes later a gentlemen approached us and took our drink order. Ten minutes after that we got our drinks. By then we were ready to order food but no one came to check on us. There were three servers talking to each other at the bar and another three servers talking to each other in the front. We flagged down the first waitress who told us again, "I'll be right back." A few minutes later the gentlemen returned and took our order. The same waiting game occurred when waiting for the to-go boxes and for the check. The whole time there was maybe 5 or 6 other customers in the whole place and the staff continued to sit around, chatting. I was annoyed and my burrito was not worth waiting around for. My friend enjoyed her combo platter (#10, I think), but the lack of service just killed the mood. I felt guilty for only leaving a $3 tip, but what can I say? At least they got something for sitting around. To give them some credit, the prices were actually pretty reasonable and if you like really spicy salsa with too much cilantro- this place is a good pick. Maybe when they are busier they are more on their game...
(2)
Jauhna M.
One of my favorite Mexican spots in town! The service is unbeatable, friendly, attentive staff that check up regularly, keep our drinks topped off and make sure we are happy. And they were great with our 2 year old, talking and joking her and making the whole family feel welcome. The food is good, I've had stale chips once or twice but the salsa is great and the entrees have always been hot, delicious and generously portioned. My favorite part was the cucumber margarita! I'll be back for many reasons but this margarita was absolutely to die for, I'm craving it just writing about it :)
(4)
Dave E.
Food is okay. Nothing special. What pissed me off though is that they would not honor their 10% off after checking into their business. It's BS for a business to advertise a coupon and then deny it when you're a customer. My waiter was Jesus and the manager he talked to was also the bartender. Watch out for this business. Not sure what other shady stuff goes on here.
(1)
Niki V.
Was a little hesitant to try this location because I've only been to the Alameda location. And it's always great. It was a Sunday and we were craving Micheladas so off we went. I had a tacos platter that came with carnitas, tripitas, Asada, and some.other ones..and they were great. I also ordered a half dozen of ostiones. And these oysters were by far the best I've ever had anywhere. They were big, fresh, served with sliced purple onions, and jalapenos. SOOOOOOO GOOD. I haven't stopped craving them since. And I even Got the BF to try them. He actually didn't mind them. We Will be back soon.
(4)
Dirk V.
Food was hot and came fast. Tasted good. Staff is friendly. Mexican music in background but lots of screens tuned to different sports channels.
(5)
Paul S.
Overall not a bad place, similar food to Tafalino's in Lakewood, good but nowhere near great. Their salsa is amazing but their chips are pretty crappy so that is kind of annoying. Their margaritas are freakin huge, definitely a good thing in my opinion. Food was pretty good, I had one of their combos, a smothered chicken burrito, bean tostada, and a beef taco. Like I said, it was ok but nothing amazing. My waiter was cool and was there when I needed and quick. But he was not constantly at my table bothering me, I can't stand that personally.
(3)
Sarah E.
Good service, and the bartender makes a great Presidente and Coke! Had a great time having friends getting together and great drinks! The margaritas are huge!
(3)
Lana S.
Quite a disgusting place. My boyfriend called it a glamorized Taco Bell. Although we did not have high expectations given the terrible reviews, this place managed to even disappoint our already ridiculously low expectations. I have never had stale worm corn chips in my entire life. Yup, stale warm corn chips. It's beyond my comprehension how El Tapatio, given the high volume of customers, manages not to have fresh corn chips. Heck, even if I leave a bag of store bought corn chips out for 2 months they still don't taste nearly as bad. Now what's the best way to cover up the staleness of the chips? That's right, warm them up. Unfortunately, this created quite a nasty combination. The salsa that comes with the chips is equally gross. The house margarita tasted like a terrible cheap, high corn fructose loaded mix with a splash of tequila. Now lets move on to our entrees. IMHO chimichanga should be crispy. Our chimichanga was mildly warmed up in the frying pan and covered in green chili. Green chili was probably the only edible thing in the whole dish. The ground beef was a bit questionable. No wait, I questioned its origin and quality a lot. The 15 dollar mixed seafood cocktail was gross at best (vuelve a la vida). Yeah, what did I expect? They did have a lot of seafood dishes on the menu, so I assumed it was going to be decent. The tomato sauce tasted rancid. The scallops were not even cooked, oysters tasted like they came straight from a 10 year old can. The shrimps were okish. Oh well, here is what we get for not listening to Yelpers!
(2)
Michael H.
This is our go-to place to have dinner and leave happy. The food is pretty straight forward American/Mexican food. Simple and delicious and the portions are more than enough. I'm sure everyone else has mentioned it but the margaritas are huge. If you're in the neighborhood and looking for a good one then this is your best option. Finally I don't typically give much weight to service but I've been here enough to know that it's consistently quick and friendly. Prices are also more than reasonable and the bar area is a decent place to catch the game.
(5)
Cinde W.
I can't get past the mystery "meat-paste-Alpo" ground beef tacos. Disgusting. No idea what it I'd but it is not ground beef. I couldn't eat it and it ruined the rest of the meal. Had a couple bites of a tamale...bland, no flavor at all. The flauta was bland also, and very small. Won't be back. Seriously, that meat-paste was too much!
(1)
Khampha K.
I thought this place was going to be "Mexican-American" but once I sat down, took in the atmosphere and got my food it all sunk in...this place is like authentic Mexican food and it's really good. Their camarones diablas are my favorite. Very, very spicy... Just how I like it!! If I go anywhere else for this dish, I'm never satisfied. Glad I decided to check this place out. Excellent and authentic with a lot of variety on the menu
(4)
D W.
This place has alright food. Not any better than I can make at home. The service at this place in particular is TERRIBLE. My husband and I waited almost 10 minutes to be seated and then a large family came in behind us. They were seated first! Unbelievable. I am utterly disappointed.
(1)
Danny F.
Amazing food, great staff every time we come in for lunch! Love coming here and bringing clients. Keep up the good work!
(5)
Maria M.
The margaritas were decent, I'll admit. The food was not. I read some of the reviews but decided to give it a shot and I was so in the mood for Mexican. First we started off with chips and salsa. The salsa was nice and thick and the chips were thick but good. Then we read in menu they charge for refills on chips and salsa?! Ha ha ha!!! Wow! We proceed to get Mexican combinations with a chile relleno, enchilada, taco, and some guacamole tostada. Ordered a tamale on the side just to try. The meal said it came with rice and beans there was no beans and the rice was maybe a few spoonfuls. As you can see the plates were slopped on with excess sauces. It was bland and lacked any presentation. Everything just seemed barely thrown together and they even charge you for refills on non alcoholic drinks! I showed the waiter my yelp 10% discount and it al oat felt he didn't want to give it to me. We asked for our check to be split in 2 and he said he couldn't. After the look I must have had in my face he came back with 2 checks. Worse experience and really lousy food! You get better authentic Mexican at Taco Bell!
(1)
Heather P.
The house margarita was weak and on the sweet side. Chile relleno and cheese enchilada were undercooked (although they replaced them). You could tell the chips were old and I wasn't impressed with the salsa. I have yet to find good Mexican food in Arvada, or Colorado for that matter. No manager visited our table, which seems like should have happened.
(1)
Kiersten S.
Been there many times before and left very happy. Stopped in on 5/16/15. The bartender made our "top shelf" margaritas with bottom shelf tequila not the hornitos reposado that we ordered and than used gran gallo instead of the Gran Marnier that we requested . Being in the industry we questioned her about this and she tried to explain how it was "basically the same thing". We took one sip out of our margaritas and left. As a restaurant they should know that hiring a cutie blonde who doesn't know how to make a top shelf drink is not going to impress your customers. Huge fail!
(1)
Shaun S.
I am a fan!! I passed by this place hundreds of times and thought, "oh great, here's another Mexican restaurant." Over a week ago, we stopped in for the first time, and I am writing this review because it exceeded my expectations. What I expected was a place that had a list of Mexican combinations (like some protein wrapped in a tortilla). On the way in, I saw their "Specials" sign that featured steaks, fish, lobster, and shrimp. Immediately, my appetite changed for something more than the ubiquitous Mexican dishes that I expected. We sat at the bar (both times) and I ordered a BIG beer and she got a HUGE pour of wine, and both were inexpensive. Then they brought us chips and salsa. First, the salsa has no detectable onions, and secondly, the salsa is HOT!! Anybody who has read my reviews knows that I HATE onions, love inexpensive booze, and love spicy food. Perusing the menu, I realized that there are dozens of items that I would like to try. I chose the Relleno Shrimp -- 7 large shrimp wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and served with a spicy Mexican flavored BBQ sauce, beans, rice, and avocados. Holy Good. The bacon was crisp and the shrimp were not overcooked. They were so awesome that I ordered them again later in the week. She ordered some steak dish that was marinated and seasoned awesomely. Don't expect a filet or ribeye, but rather think marinated flank streak. It was cooked more on the well side, but it was juicy and not overly done. The flavor was excellent. I am ashamed to admit that my preconceptions kept me out of this place for most of the past decade (I remember eating at Bennigan's though). What impressed me was that the steak and seafood tasted like the great steak and seafood that I have eaten on the Western Mexican Coast. I will go back many times for seafood and steaks. The only negatives that I can comment is that the servers use the bar to serve the people seated in the tables surrounding the bar. They leave trays on the bar and hit bar patrons on the back with the service trays. If you watch Bar Rescue, you would know that John Taffer would scream that the empty tray left on the bar stool or left on an (seemingly) empty bar place is costing them at least $10k in lost revenue!!!! There must be a better and less intrusive way. And when using the 10% Yelp Check In Offer, they tried saying that it was for another location, but I showed them that it was based on GPS and listed their address. They did honor it after a few awkward minutes. I cannot review the burritos, chimichangas, tacos, etc. In fact, I will probably never try any of that Americanized crap because the other food is so good. I recommend that next time you want steak or seafood, think outside the box and give this place a try.
(4)
Rahyma P.
Everything was delicious, I wish we had known how big the dishes were before we order, on the other hand the 18% tip was added to out total without us knowing. Good food though.
(4)
Vic M.
I give four stars. The first time we came here i had the steak ranchera and it wasnt great it had no flavor. Well today I got a mojcahete or however you spell it and i am very happy lol i recommend trying it! Oh and our waiter is the reason its not a 5 star review. No chips and salsa didnt take our order the bartender did. The bartender gets the tip!
(4)
Mila G.
We had great service here, and food was really good. Nice atmosphere, and it was quiet enough to still talk.
(4)
Lani P.
W'eve been hitting this place several times a month especially in the evening after working out at Lakeshore. I really do like this place and the menu is very extensive. I don't bother really checking in anymore since the last few times, they said the 20% off coupon from our yelp check-in is for the other place..UMMM well Hello the other Tapatio is too far for the check-in to work, so they really need to fix this. THe food, while not the best, is pretty good and is pretty huge portions. I say this is a worthy place to eat no more than once a month and I've made it a point to lessen going here. I always get their tacos and I've tried they're white fish plate before. Other than that I'm not really open to anything else on the menu.
(4)
Christina R.
I accidentally ordered my take-out from the wrong location, and the hostesses and server were so understanding. They sped up my order for five people and we were in and out within 10 minutes! We were so impressed, and they even have is a very generous portion of chips and salsa to-go. So thankful to them!
(5)
Erin S.
My friend and I came here for lunch a while back as our normal spot was closed for some remodeling. I have had people tell me that this is a really great place and the food is amazing. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. I don't even know where to start. The green chile had no flavor or heat at all, the beans were flavorless even after adding salt. The chips were ok, but the salsa was totally watered down and completely flavorless. I have never left a Mexican restaurant hungry but I did this time. The only reason I am giving 2 stars is because of our waiter. I am not sure if the no flavor is typical of this place, but I am pretty sure I won't give it a second chance to find out.
(2)
David M.
I went here yesterday for a big group event. We called a week in advance to reserve a spot and then called again two days before to confirm the reservation. By the time we got there, there were no tables set up. They tried to put something together for our party but tried shoving 22 people into a space for 15. When we approached the manager he walked away from us and ignored what we had to say. He handled this situation horribly and said he wouldn't even want our business. Overall horrible experience and I would not recommend going here as they are not willing to accommodate their customers.
(1)
David L.
Terrible. Save your money. Bland everything. Even the chips they use for the chips and salsa were bland. Saw the "Today's Specials" sign when we walked in. When we were seated I asked the waiter what the specials were and he said he didn't know and that I could go look at the sign again. I asked if they had something in print that had the specials listed, and he just looked at me and said "no" and walked away. So I'm to go back to the entrance and look at the sign, and try to memorize it or take a photo of it to share the info with my wife and daughter?? ... Or your waiter could just have a list of them to read off to me? Maybe? Started off by ordering the queso... Turned out to be velvetta. No joke. Velvetta "cheese". Sub-par ground beef, mystery slop on everything, and chewy steak on the fajitas. Terrible. Save your money.
(1)
Sabrina W.
Service was excellent! We were seated fast, and everyone was on the ball, literally running from the tables to the kitchen. They were very friendly! I also like the quiet atmosphere- music was at a decent volume and we could talk without yelling at each other. Food was good too. We were delighted to find that they actually provided enough tortillas for the fajitas - most restaurants do not. My husband felt like the food needed more salt (easy fix), but overall the food was good. I wouldn't say it was unusually awesome compared to other Mexican restaurants, but it was right in there with the flavor and quality. We will come again!
(4)
Ascary M.
Excellent carnitas plate is always a good bet and so is the Queso fondido appetizer. Good service too be here many times.
(5)
Steven Z.
Not looking promising. Sat me in a two seat booth with my friend and I'm not huge but it was tight. We moved to the bar and menu was dirty/nasty. Needs to be clean. We were asked several times if we wanted water which we replied yes but we never did see it. Food was average. I think I'll stay with my favorite Mexican restaurant in Littleton.
(2)
Samantha T.
We remembered the restaurant being good but not today. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband ordered the shrimp adovado. Both of ours were terrible. The service was super slow too. Our draft beers were good as was the queso.
(2)
Tiffany W.
Has this place changed? Or maybe I was just really hungry the first time I ever ate here. Heck, I was really hungry when I ate here this time but it didn't seem to have the same effect on me. I met a friend for lunch and was happy to see they had several lunch specials. They also have happy hour (including food specials) in the bar but the server took the specials card away before I realized what was on the back and got a chance to read it (darn it). Our basket of chips was alright. They had a kind of funky oil taste to them, but nothing that the large bowl of salsa that came with couldn't cover up. I appreciate that ET serves a regular-size portion of salsa -- none of this 1/4 cup for chip dippers. It's a portion us chip scoopers can appreciate. And it's got a nice kick without being unbearable. For our meals I ordered the El Tapatio Special sans chicken or beef (veggies only) for $7.99, and my friend got the green chili plate with flour tortillas for $4.99, with a side of cheese for $1.50. The El Tapatio Special is basically a cheese quesadilla covered with fajita mix: onions, peppers, canned mushrooms, and meat if you order it. SUPER greasy. It's served with standard rice, beans, and sour cream. The green chili plate is literally a plate of chili (that has large chunks of meat) served with tortilla(s). Service was quick, as was our foods' arrival to the table. The place seemed to be a popular lunch spot. And as far as food goes, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't all that good, either. I think it was a little too greasy for my liking. Is this what all Mexican food is like? I rarely have it at restaurants when it's so easy to make at home, so I just can't be sure. Although now that I think about it, for a vegetarian it's usually goopy cheese covered with more goopy cheese and red chili, so it all makes sense. I appreciate that they were willing to accommodate my request for no meat. And truly that third star comes from the generous serving of salsa. I'm not in any rush to visit again but, for those times when I want Mexican but I don't feel like making it myself, well, there's always Mexican Bennigans.
(3)
Sara B.
Came back here the other night and they still have consistently good food. This time around, I ordered the steak Mexicano. It was really tender and cooked perfectly! I am impressed every time that I come.
(5)
Mike E.
A few of us stopped in for dinner at the El Tapatio in Arvada last Friday and pretty much got what we were expecting - decent food and some drinks. The parking lot was pretty full but they were still able to seat us right away on the patio. We ordered up some beers and margs, and then got a preview of what was to come as far as the service goes - as it took about 15-20 minutes to get our drinks out to us. BTW, a couple of people got the medium marg and were very glad they didn't go for the large one, they were huge! I went for the combo #7, which came with a smothered chicken burrito, a beef taco, and a bean tostada. It took forever and a day to get our food but when it did come everything was OK, but IMO the green chile was a little on the tame side. Everyone else in our group also thought their food was pretty good - a couple of chimi's and a couple of fajita's (chicken and shrimp). I'm not sure why they are as busy as they are, maybe it's the lack of other choices in that area. It seemed much busier than the other locations I've been too. It was nice to see that the food seems to be pretty much the same in all their locations, as sometimes local chains can have problems maintaining consistency. All in all it was a fun time, and I'm sure I'll be back for more at some point.
(3)
Dawn H.
My son ordered the chicken tacos and the chicken was dry and tough. Toward the end of the meal he bit into one of the tacos and hurt his tooth. Found a piece of twine in the chicken. Worst part, the Manager would not even acknowledge what my husband was showing him. Couldn't believe it. A good manager would take responsibility and at least apologize and hopefully prevent it from happening again.
(1)
Jeremy C.
Hmmm, being a gringo it is hard to take my review of Mexican places seriously. Anyhow I do love some Mexican food, I love local mom and pop shops. I was always under the impression that El Tapatio was one of those. Turns out it is a chain restaurant. Chips and salsa are good, well they are about as good as it gets for chips and salsa lol. Lots of cilantro in there which is a little strange. I love the tacos, love the number 8 combination (three tacos, rice and beans). I also love the steak fajitas. They have good deserts and giant drinks which is great when you are looking at getting some Mexican food. Downside is that the service can be hit and miss at the locations. I wish it was consistent and could recommend it to everyone.
(4)
Brandy V.
I love this place, my family and I have not experienced any bad dishes. Get a side of the chili asado with your meat or seafood dish. They are grilled jalapeños with seasonings.
(5)
Leahrae A.
Sitting on the patio having a margarita is great. The margaritas are good, and they are big. Haven't always ate dinner here, but what I did have was good. Not exceptional, but good mexican food. But the margaritas alone, on the patio when the weather is warm....can't be beat. Great evening place in Arvada.
(4)
Christian S.
Pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Service was okay, food was okay. I would go back if I was in the area and needed to eat but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)
Alethea S.
I'm a gringo who loves Mexican food and thankfully Denver has a ton of really great places to eat. El Tapatio isn't one of them. They are about as original as the Bennigans that came before them in this spot. I'll cut to the chase. The chips and salsa was really good. The Tacos al Carbon arrived with so many Jalapeno peppers that I could barely find the meat. When I mentioned to the waiter, Manuel, that the food was ridiculously spicy, owing to the 3/4 cup of peppers for 3 little tacos, he laughed. Not a good sign. The kids enjoyed their plates and the kids menu was actually really decent. I should have ordered off their menu. This is the problem with the place: the service is lousy, the food is really hit or miss and the atmosphere is Bennigans. Save your money and frequent some of the mom n pop shops that do a much better, more consistent, job.
(1)
Ryan V.
I am so disappointed in this restaurant. I have had really good food here once, every time since, it's been bland. Very bland. The banana split is the only positive thing about this entire place. My girlfriend says the same thing. On top of the poor food, every time I go here, I leave a good tip and when I check my bank statement the payment is always more then what I signed for. It's less than a dollar difference, but making me pay $0.60 more than what I signed for on my bill is not only wrong, it's illegal. This place needs to be checked out ,now.
(2)
June L.
This is the first time I've been to this location ( I usually go to their location in Lakewood.) Our server was friendly but a service was slow. We ordered nachos as our appetizer they were good, but the jalapeño we from a can not fresh. Otherwise our food and dinning experience was good. Not sure if I would come back to this location tho.
(3)
Rachel C.
For an old Bennigan's turned Mexican restaurant, this place is not too shabby. They offer your typical assortment of traditional Mexican dishes, as well as breakfast served all day. Unlimited chips and salsa and cheap beer prices were also a plus. I ordered one of their combo options and was pleased with the portion sizes. We asked for extra hot chile and were sadly disappointed. This is a good run of the mill neighborhood Mexican joint.
(3)
James S.
A good Mexican restaurant. My wife and I had Steak Fajita's, and a Quesadilla. The food was alright, not great. I'd return, but the service was slow and UN-attentive, hence the 3 star review. Not the top spot in Arvada for sure.
(3)
Sara S.
I went to El Tapatio a couple months back, and was treated to sub-par wait service. My food was pretty good, but I just can't get over how restaurants can make it while their wait staff is rude and ignoring most of the time. I specifically remember sitting with an empty water and soda glass for the whole entire time. Yep, not one refill was offered, even on the water! He took forever to take our orders as well! It will be a while before I return to this El Tapatio. I will still head to the one off Wads and Alameda! Maybe it was just an off night for our server....
(2)
Dave B.
12/09/2011 Still just 3 stars from me. Our service was slow and indifferent. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that your mere presence as a customer has ruined their day? My daughter asked for some extra lettuce and they charged us $1 for a small portion of shredded lettuce. In my opinion, when Dad is drinking the high-margin beer, you don't charge for a smidgen of lettuce. It is not the $1, it is the principle. I went outside the envelope and order a burger medium rare. It came that way with a huge amount of crisp fries. 11/28/2011 If Mexican-Americans decided to re-create Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant, this would be it. Large bar and cutesy photos from Mexico instead of Texas. I ate the bean burrito with chicarron on top. It was OK. The service was pleasant.
(3)
Tracie B.
El Tapatio is what La Fonda, Holly Inn etc, ought to be. Yes, it's like the Tex-Mex version of Chili's (okay, full disclosure here - I like Chili's). It's contrived but I can forgive that because the food is very, very good. My standard Mexican test is a smothered bean burrito and El Tapatio gets a solid B+/A-. It's the right size, the beans are flavorful and it's smothered in spicy, well seasoned green chili. I've been there twice and had a great experience both times.
(4)
mike m.
!!!
(5)
Andrea M.
:)
(4)
Ty R.
Overall it's an ok place nice decor friendly staff good food but I feel 14$ for 3 rellenos is a bit over the top
(3)
Dori S.
Compliments to the staff at this restaurant- they are very friendly and we received great service. Unfortunately, I feel sick just thinking about the food at this place. It reminded me of Chi-Chi's from 1977- when gringos were first introduced to the concept of chain Mexican food. I ordered a fajita combo quesadilla and the meat was bland, unseasoned and the beef tasted old and stale. The margaritas were bland and watered-down. There are too many other great choices to over-pay for poor quality food. Just say'n. :(
(1)
Happy C.
Service is HORRIBLE: I was seated by an indifferent hostess and then ignored completely by waitstaff that walked back and forth past my table about 6 times. I walked out after waiting 10 minutes for someone to approach my table. Did I mention there were only 3 other customers in the entire restaurant? I won't be back.
(1)
Joe J.
The food and service here were both average. I will usually go for steak fajitas at new Mexican restaurants. I wasn't very impressed with the fajitas here. They cooked the typical green pepper/onion accompanying veggies too long. They were pathetically limp and had been sauced up and cooked so long that they were nearly the same color!! Green peppers are.... green..... and onions are a light whitish pinky/purple. Both of them were a dark brownish WAY over carmelized color. Bleh! The salsa was good with the tortilla chips and I usually am picky about them. Thumbs up there. Unfortunately, the best part of the meal was my beer. Guess its hard to mess that up. An average eatery with a fairly decent atmosphere. Not that wonderful.
(3)
Teresa L.
Good service, great lunch specials, and very good food. The prices were a bit high, though, so I'd probably go back for lunch if anything. They had the most extensive shrimp section that I've ever seen on a Mexican menu before.... and some of them looked awesome! Bacon-wrapped and stuffed with cheese? Yes please!
(4)
Kat A.
Tacos al carbon, chicken quesadillas, burritos, tamales...between four of us, we ate a stupid amount of food last night. Add to the feasting some horchata, a couple glasses of Fanta, two baskets of chips and about a half gallon of salsa, and daaaaaaaaamn. I was leery of the place - not too sure why. The service was spectacular, and my husband was over the moon that we opted to celebrate his birthday here. Their dishes have heat. I'm a spice wuss when it comes to Mexican food, so my steak tacos and the green mystery peppers threatened to do me in (which would probably be considered medium spice at most by others), but the meal was really good - and I loved the carmelized onions. Furthermore: holy crap, tons of food. I have at least two more meals to go. As it was the husband's birthday, the celebration wrapped up with some cheesecake loaded with whipped cream. The prices were a little higher than I'm used to for Mexican food, but the guys I dined with couldn't say enough good things about the place. I have no doubt it will become a staple for my husband who worships at the Mexican food alter.
(4)
Dani A.
Not only does this place have great food but the service was also fantastic. I ended up going twice in a row and would most definitely recommend this place to friends! I also plan on going back several more times!
(5)
Mikhal E.
I ordered the steak fajitas and they were fantastic. The meat was high quality and the veggies were cooked perfectly. We ordered a couple of drinks, the guacamole dip, the steak fajitas, and the chicken fajitas; and the total was only about $55. I'd say that's pretty reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food we got. I'd give them 5 stars, but our first waitress was rude. The waitress that took over for her was great though, extremely friendly and helpful.
(4)
Sarah W.
The food here is somewhat inconsistent, but we always receive good service and end up leaving satisfied. Sometimes the food seems much spicier than others and on one occasion, the meat was very underseasoned. However, typically the food is good and flavorful and the drinks are delicious! Their margaritas are huge, yummy, and reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol you receive. Also, the staff has always been friendly and very accomodating, so overall, this place is great when you are craving some good Mexican-American cuisine accompanied by a giant margarita.
(4)
Wesley Z.
The food tasted great. I had a Chimichanga and the chicken was well done. The salsa was also pretty good with decent chips. The staff was friendly although they did forget about my salsa and chips for a while.
(4)
Larry P.
With so many mexican resturants in town, this one is okay. There are much better ones. The staff is good. The food is not that great. Like a glorified Taco Bell. Not much flavor. Do yourself a favor and go to a better place.
(2)
Krista S.
Their parking lot is ALWAYS full so of course I HAD to check it out. =) I had a combination type thing since it was my first time there, the enchilada was eh...the taco was eh...but the chile rellano OMG it was FANTASTIC!!! It puts 3 margaritas rellanos to shame!!! Basically their food is eh...except for the rellanos, so if you don't like rellanos I would go somewhere else.
(3)
Mark B.
I don't know how anybody could give this place less than three stars. I have been to this location almost a half dozen times and at least that many more to the golden and south Wadsworth locations. Every time I get friendly and attentive service and good food. They don't play the music too loud, they put what I want on tv, and the crowd is always the same. Some people knock the chain aspect of this brand but rest assured that they are a Colorado company and you can visit their original location next to the belmar shopping center anytime you like. Others also seem to knock on the lack of "wow" factor in the cuisine. This is the only reason why I give this restaurant four stars. This isn't a place for your anniversary dinner, it's a place for your "I don't wanna cook tonight" dinner. The food is always good and that is one of the several reasons that I continue to come back to this establishment.
(4)
Scot P.
Tucked between a carpet and tile store and The Country Buffet is this little jem. Actually several little gems along the front range. Although the decor and atmosphere is very much like a Chilis the service is fantastic and the food even better. Plus, Mexican on St Patricks day is fun and deviant. The Carna Asada was juicy with a brave little bowl of it's own sauce and the rest well, you'll have to find out for yourself. It was good enough for a second try and I'll update my review after that.
(3)
Vanessa B.
My husband and I are Mexican aficionados, and our children are becoming so. We like this place a lot, all four of us. The kids menu is great, they have handled our gluten free requests really easily, prices are good and service is fine. Husband and I always order seafood, for what it's worth. We have never tried any of the cheese smothered combos so I can't speak to those. We have a family member who is Mexican (from Mexico, not just of Mexican descent, so a good judge of Mexican food) and we brought him to the Lakewood location and he too was a fan of El Tapatio, for whatever that is worth. He too ordered seafood.
(4)
Linda B.
I went to this restaurant this past weekend with a party of 10 (5 kids, 5 adults), and although the food and service were supposedly fine, we were lied to by the servers and overcharged without our consent. Since the bill was to be split between 3 people, we had all cash except one credit card. The server came back and informed us that their credit card system was "out of service", so we ended up paying in cash. As we looked at our bank account, our credit card was charged, and to top it off, it was charged more than what should have been owed. Regardless of food, a business should not try to cheat and lie to their customers. I do not recommend this restaurant, and I ask anyone who goes, to make sure they check their financials.
(1)
Carlos M.
I want to give this place 4 stars but I just can't do it. This place is ok for the most part the wife and I go there every so often and its usually pretty good and service is usually fast.(although last night they were really slow and it wasn't even busy.) The chips and salsa are good and the guacamole is yummy too. I will say this I think they have the best ceviche de pescado around. That is pretty much the only thing I order when I go,its that good! I have had a couple of other things and they're ok. The wife usually orders a combo plate and is full and happy when she's done eating so I guess that's a good thing.The wife always orders a strawberry margarita too and they are huge and strong. So that's another plus for the place. So all in all its an ok joint for Mexican food with for the most part good and fast service. Its nothing special and will curb your appetite for Mexican, of course there are better in my opinion,but I hate reading reviews when people say "go to blah blah's a couple blocks up the street they are way better...."
(3)
Stefanie C.
Finding decent Mexican food in Denver is harder than you might think. I'm not saying that El Tapatio has aced that field, but they do fairly well. I've been several times and prefer it over the Arvada/Westminster Three Margaritas (don't get me started). Service is great, food is hot and to the table in a flash...and it's even quite tasty. BUT, I have noticed they are pretty heavy handed with the salt. Now, I'm a salt girl myself, but they even have me reaching for the water. That being said, I am happy they are one of the few places that offers chicharones (pork rinds) burritos AND if they do charge extra, its less than a dollar; unlike other places ($3+). It's definitely one of my Go Tos, but I just gotta remember to take off my rings at bed that night!
(4)
Tiara Q.
We were expecting an average time based on the other reviews but everything here is excellent. The salsa was fresh, a little spicy, lots of cilantro. We ordered the shrimp rellanos and they were amazing. The shrimp were huge, filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon. Neither of us could finish the plate since the portion was so large. The mojito and margs were on point too. The service was immaculate. Can't believe the place was empty! Will definitely return. Would have given 5 stars if the beans weren't so salty, the rice was Spanish style and they took down the old bennigans decor.
(4)
A R.
Don't waste your time on this salty mess that they call Mexican food. The only saving grace were the chips, salsa and margaritas...in that order. If you do like salt licks then by all mean go for it but if not then spend your time and money elsewhere.
(1)
Aspen B.
Love the food, best Mexican I've ever had! Everything that I have ever ordered has been great. This is the best location of the four and whenever I am in town I make sure to stop in for my Mexican food fix!
(5)
Emily V.
I dig this place. The servers are nice, the food is decent, the atmosphere is comfy (kind of feels like an Applebee's). A tad too pricey for what you get, but not by much. The medium margarita is massive, but the taste is nothing to write home about. The ceviche is freaking delicious, although really spicy. But I'm sure that next time I can ask them to lay off the jalapenos a bit.
(3)
Michelle G.
SO................The old Benningans next to the gas station had someone new moving in. I was excited it seemed to be a small business so I vowed to visit as soon as it opened. I did. My boo ordered the ceviche de pescado and I had the enchilada suizas. The ceviche was top notch don't tell my uncle but it was better than his. (head flinching from the smack I would normally feel if I made this comment.) Drinks were never empty and everyone made sure we were enjoying the evening. The enchiladas were good, plate was huge and I took half home to add scrambled eggs to the next morning. Went back 2 days later for breakfast. Boo had the ceviche again (still amazing with warm tostadas mmmm.) I had enchiladas again just cheese this time with scrambled eggs a personal favorite. These enchiladas weren't as good but decent. I prefer white cheese. Again amazing service. Went back last night (yes, yes I know that's three times in one week). But dang that ceviche has a hold on me! We started with that boo had the taquiza de tacos y yo carne asada with tortillas de maiz. Again delicious!!!! We will be back I know that for sure. Sometimes a Mexican needs a night off from cooking the normal. Amazing service--the waiter remembered us :D Oh yea and after reading the menu I found out they had 3 other locations, ha ha not such a small business. Oh well amazing service and food makes it special enough!
(4)
Jenna A.
Holy moly, I know Mexican restaurants have big menus but this was insane. So many choices and variations, I just had to pick something I know would be good. I ordered the chicken fajitas and my man got the chicken chimichanga. I'm not always a huge fan of Mexican food but this place was really good. We left not feeling too full because we opted against an appetizer which would have been completely unnecessary after we saw the entree servings! The fajita order was enormous and full of onions, red, green and orange bell peppers. I ate three tortillas full, boyfriend had one and I still had enough for a big lunch the next day. They even gave me more tortillas to go. My man inhaled his chimichanga, the sauce that smothered it was really tasty. Chips were warm and the salsa was spicy and we poured it in our entrees. Good prices, amazing service. They were all dressed in black and white and were extremely attentive. I would definitely come back again when we're in the area.
(4)
John A.
Just stay away! I don't have a single positive thing to say about this place. Is there a Colorado board of health?
(1)
Kelly J.
The food here is very good. However the service is just god awful, just absolutely incompetent. 3 times I have gotten take out, 3 times my order has been missing stuff. I've had them hang up on me when calling, called ordered waited 20 minutes before going in only to arrive to find my order hasn't been entered into their system yet. It's just not worth the hassle. I won't be going back.
(1)
Linda V.
This restaurant opened recently in a former Bennigan's. The menu is what you'd expect from a Mexi place. Service is great. You can't go wrong with their seafood dishes. For a healthier Mexi option, get the Camarones Mojo de Ajo. It comes w/white rice and fresh avacodo slices and tortillas. Delicious, very flavorful. We've never had bad service here. Hubby loves the pork chops. Their mole sauce is one of the best we've had in the Denver area.
(3)
Heidi B.
Get the carnitas plate....it is the best I have ever had and I'm from San Diego! The enchiladas were ok but the margaritas are HUGE!
(4)
Jorge O.
Bad service!, Horrible food! When we got our food it was cold! The ladies there thought we didn't speak Spanish and when we returned the cold food they got mad and started talking crap about us! We didn't even wait to get another plate because of that, we didn't trust if they would do something to our food. They have an attitude like they don't need customers, i would not recommend it to friends, family or anyone.
(1)
Scott P.
I really liked this place. We had the pork fajitas, they were GREAT. Tons of food, perfectly cooked veggies (many over cook them), great flavoring and a good price. I asked for extra tortillas, they brought a bunch and didn't charge us for them. The beer price was pretty average, but they did have a large selection. The chips and salsa was good, no the best I have had. It is our new place to get Mexican food. Try it, you will like it.
(4)
Rebecca B.
The Banana-Orange Margarita deserves 5 Stars...everything else was- "Meh". My friend and I stopped in here late one evening. We were seated and waited a bit for our waitress to arrive. When she did, we asked her what kind of flavored margarita's they had. She listed a few and seemed a bit flustered, ( I think there was a language barrier). She then said she'd be "right back." Ten minutes later a gentlemen approached us and took our drink order. Ten minutes after that we got our drinks. By then we were ready to order food but no one came to check on us. There were three servers talking to each other at the bar and another three servers talking to each other in the front. We flagged down the first waitress who told us again, "I'll be right back." A few minutes later the gentlemen returned and took our order. The same waiting game occurred when waiting for the to-go boxes and for the check. The whole time there was maybe 5 or 6 other customers in the whole place and the staff continued to sit around, chatting. I was annoyed and my burrito was not worth waiting around for. My friend enjoyed her combo platter (#10, I think), but the lack of service just killed the mood. I felt guilty for only leaving a $3 tip, but what can I say? At least they got something for sitting around. To give them some credit, the prices were actually pretty reasonable and if you like really spicy salsa with too much cilantro- this place is a good pick. Maybe when they are busier they are more on their game...
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Aspen B.
Love the food, best Mexican I've ever had! Everything that I have ever ordered has been great. This is the best location of the four and whenever I am in town I make sure to stop in for my Mexican food fix!
(5)Emily V.
I dig this place. The servers are nice, the food is decent, the atmosphere is comfy (kind of feels like an Applebee's). A tad too pricey for what you get, but not by much. The medium margarita is massive, but the taste is nothing to write home about. The ceviche is freaking delicious, although really spicy. But I'm sure that next time I can ask them to lay off the jalapenos a bit.
(3)Heidi B.
Get the carnitas plate....it is the best I have ever had and I'm from San Diego! The enchiladas were ok but the margaritas are HUGE!
(4)Scott P.
I really liked this place. We had the pork fajitas, they were GREAT. Tons of food, perfectly cooked veggies (many over cook them), great flavoring and a good price. I asked for extra tortillas, they brought a bunch and didn't charge us for them. The beer price was pretty average, but they did have a large selection. The chips and salsa was good, no the best I have had. It is our new place to get Mexican food. Try it, you will like it.
(4)Andrea M.
:)
(4)Ty R.
Overall it's an ok place nice decor friendly staff good food but I feel 14$ for 3 rellenos is a bit over the top
(3)Michelle G.
SO................The old Benningans next to the gas station had someone new moving in. I was excited it seemed to be a small business so I vowed to visit as soon as it opened. I did. My boo ordered the ceviche de pescado and I had the enchilada suizas. The ceviche was top notch don't tell my uncle but it was better than his. (head flinching from the smack I would normally feel if I made this comment.) Drinks were never empty and everyone made sure we were enjoying the evening. The enchiladas were good, plate was huge and I took half home to add scrambled eggs to the next morning. Went back 2 days later for breakfast. Boo had the ceviche again (still amazing with warm tostadas mmmm.) I had enchiladas again just cheese this time with scrambled eggs a personal favorite. These enchiladas weren't as good but decent. I prefer white cheese. Again amazing service. Went back last night (yes, yes I know that's three times in one week). But dang that ceviche has a hold on me! We started with that boo had the taquiza de tacos y yo carne asada with tortillas de maiz. Again delicious!!!! We will be back I know that for sure. Sometimes a Mexican needs a night off from cooking the normal. Amazing service--the waiter remembered us :D Oh yea and after reading the menu I found out they had 3 other locations, ha ha not such a small business. Oh well amazing service and food makes it special enough!
(4)Jorge O.
Bad service!, Horrible food! When we got our food it was cold! The ladies there thought we didn't speak Spanish and when we returned the cold food they got mad and started talking crap about us! We didn't even wait to get another plate because of that, we didn't trust if they would do something to our food. They have an attitude like they don't need customers, i would not recommend it to friends, family or anyone.
(1)Jenna A.
Holy moly, I know Mexican restaurants have big menus but this was insane. So many choices and variations, I just had to pick something I know would be good. I ordered the chicken fajitas and my man got the chicken chimichanga. I'm not always a huge fan of Mexican food but this place was really good. We left not feeling too full because we opted against an appetizer which would have been completely unnecessary after we saw the entree servings! The fajita order was enormous and full of onions, red, green and orange bell peppers. I ate three tortillas full, boyfriend had one and I still had enough for a big lunch the next day. They even gave me more tortillas to go. My man inhaled his chimichanga, the sauce that smothered it was really tasty. Chips were warm and the salsa was spicy and we poured it in our entrees. Good prices, amazing service. They were all dressed in black and white and were extremely attentive. I would definitely come back again when we're in the area.
(4)John A.
Just stay away! I don't have a single positive thing to say about this place. Is there a Colorado board of health?
(1)Cinde W.
I can't get past the mystery "meat-paste-Alpo" ground beef tacos. Disgusting. No idea what it I'd but it is not ground beef. I couldn't eat it and it ruined the rest of the meal. Had a couple bites of a tamale...bland, no flavor at all. The flauta was bland also, and very small. Won't be back. Seriously, that meat-paste was too much!
(1)Ascary M.
Excellent carnitas plate is always a good bet and so is the Queso fondido appetizer. Good service too be here many times.
(5)Steven Z.
Not looking promising. Sat me in a two seat booth with my friend and I'm not huge but it was tight. We moved to the bar and menu was dirty/nasty. Needs to be clean. We were asked several times if we wanted water which we replied yes but we never did see it. Food was average. I think I'll stay with my favorite Mexican restaurant in Littleton.
(2)Paul S.
Overall not a bad place, similar food to Tafalino's in Lakewood, good but nowhere near great. Their salsa is amazing but their chips are pretty crappy so that is kind of annoying. Their margaritas are freakin huge, definitely a good thing in my opinion. Food was pretty good, I had one of their combos, a smothered chicken burrito, bean tostada, and a beef taco. Like I said, it was ok but nothing amazing. My waiter was cool and was there when I needed and quick. But he was not constantly at my table bothering me, I can't stand that personally.
(3)Dave E.
Food is okay. Nothing special. What pissed me off though is that they would not honor their 10% off after checking into their business. It's BS for a business to advertise a coupon and then deny it when you're a customer. My waiter was Jesus and the manager he talked to was also the bartender. Watch out for this business. Not sure what other shady stuff goes on here.
(1)Jauhna M.
One of my favorite Mexican spots in town! The service is unbeatable, friendly, attentive staff that check up regularly, keep our drinks topped off and make sure we are happy. And they were great with our 2 year old, talking and joking her and making the whole family feel welcome. The food is good, I've had stale chips once or twice but the salsa is great and the entrees have always been hot, delicious and generously portioned. My favorite part was the cucumber margarita! I'll be back for many reasons but this margarita was absolutely to die for, I'm craving it just writing about it :)
(4)Lana S.
Quite a disgusting place. My boyfriend called it a glamorized Taco Bell. Although we did not have high expectations given the terrible reviews, this place managed to even disappoint our already ridiculously low expectations. I have never had stale worm corn chips in my entire life. Yup, stale warm corn chips. It's beyond my comprehension how El Tapatio, given the high volume of customers, manages not to have fresh corn chips. Heck, even if I leave a bag of store bought corn chips out for 2 months they still don't taste nearly as bad. Now what's the best way to cover up the staleness of the chips? That's right, warm them up. Unfortunately, this created quite a nasty combination. The salsa that comes with the chips is equally gross. The house margarita tasted like a terrible cheap, high corn fructose loaded mix with a splash of tequila. Now lets move on to our entrees. IMHO chimichanga should be crispy. Our chimichanga was mildly warmed up in the frying pan and covered in green chili. Green chili was probably the only edible thing in the whole dish. The ground beef was a bit questionable. No wait, I questioned its origin and quality a lot. The 15 dollar mixed seafood cocktail was gross at best (vuelve a la vida). Yeah, what did I expect? They did have a lot of seafood dishes on the menu, so I assumed it was going to be decent. The tomato sauce tasted rancid. The scallops were not even cooked, oysters tasted like they came straight from a 10 year old can. The shrimps were okish. Oh well, here is what we get for not listening to Yelpers!
(2)Michael H.
This is our go-to place to have dinner and leave happy. The food is pretty straight forward American/Mexican food. Simple and delicious and the portions are more than enough. I'm sure everyone else has mentioned it but the margaritas are huge. If you're in the neighborhood and looking for a good one then this is your best option. Finally I don't typically give much weight to service but I've been here enough to know that it's consistently quick and friendly. Prices are also more than reasonable and the bar area is a decent place to catch the game.
(5)Niki V.
Was a little hesitant to try this location because I've only been to the Alameda location. And it's always great. It was a Sunday and we were craving Micheladas so off we went. I had a tacos platter that came with carnitas, tripitas, Asada, and some.other ones..and they were great. I also ordered a half dozen of ostiones. And these oysters were by far the best I've ever had anywhere. They were big, fresh, served with sliced purple onions, and jalapenos. SOOOOOOO GOOD. I haven't stopped craving them since. And I even Got the BF to try them. He actually didn't mind them. We Will be back soon.
(4)Dirk V.
Food was hot and came fast. Tasted good. Staff is friendly. Mexican music in background but lots of screens tuned to different sports channels.
(5)Christina R.
I accidentally ordered my take-out from the wrong location, and the hostesses and server were so understanding. They sped up my order for five people and we were in and out within 10 minutes! We were so impressed, and they even have is a very generous portion of chips and salsa to-go. So thankful to them!
(5)Khampha K.
I thought this place was going to be "Mexican-American" but once I sat down, took in the atmosphere and got my food it all sunk in...this place is like authentic Mexican food and it's really good. Their camarones diablas are my favorite. Very, very spicy... Just how I like it!! If I go anywhere else for this dish, I'm never satisfied. Glad I decided to check this place out. Excellent and authentic with a lot of variety on the menu
(4)Shaun S.
I am a fan!! I passed by this place hundreds of times and thought, "oh great, here's another Mexican restaurant." Over a week ago, we stopped in for the first time, and I am writing this review because it exceeded my expectations. What I expected was a place that had a list of Mexican combinations (like some protein wrapped in a tortilla). On the way in, I saw their "Specials" sign that featured steaks, fish, lobster, and shrimp. Immediately, my appetite changed for something more than the ubiquitous Mexican dishes that I expected. We sat at the bar (both times) and I ordered a BIG beer and she got a HUGE pour of wine, and both were inexpensive. Then they brought us chips and salsa. First, the salsa has no detectable onions, and secondly, the salsa is HOT!! Anybody who has read my reviews knows that I HATE onions, love inexpensive booze, and love spicy food. Perusing the menu, I realized that there are dozens of items that I would like to try. I chose the Relleno Shrimp -- 7 large shrimp wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and served with a spicy Mexican flavored BBQ sauce, beans, rice, and avocados. Holy Good. The bacon was crisp and the shrimp were not overcooked. They were so awesome that I ordered them again later in the week. She ordered some steak dish that was marinated and seasoned awesomely. Don't expect a filet or ribeye, but rather think marinated flank streak. It was cooked more on the well side, but it was juicy and not overly done. The flavor was excellent. I am ashamed to admit that my preconceptions kept me out of this place for most of the past decade (I remember eating at Bennigan's though). What impressed me was that the steak and seafood tasted like the great steak and seafood that I have eaten on the Western Mexican Coast. I will go back many times for seafood and steaks. The only negatives that I can comment is that the servers use the bar to serve the people seated in the tables surrounding the bar. They leave trays on the bar and hit bar patrons on the back with the service trays. If you watch Bar Rescue, you would know that John Taffer would scream that the empty tray left on the bar stool or left on an (seemingly) empty bar place is costing them at least $10k in lost revenue!!!! There must be a better and less intrusive way. And when using the 10% Yelp Check In Offer, they tried saying that it was for another location, but I showed them that it was based on GPS and listed their address. They did honor it after a few awkward minutes. I cannot review the burritos, chimichangas, tacos, etc. In fact, I will probably never try any of that Americanized crap because the other food is so good. I recommend that next time you want steak or seafood, think outside the box and give this place a try.
(4)Rahyma P.
Everything was delicious, I wish we had known how big the dishes were before we order, on the other hand the 18% tip was added to out total without us knowing. Good food though.
(4)Vic M.
I give four stars. The first time we came here i had the steak ranchera and it wasnt great it had no flavor. Well today I got a mojcahete or however you spell it and i am very happy lol i recommend trying it! Oh and our waiter is the reason its not a 5 star review. No chips and salsa didnt take our order the bartender did. The bartender gets the tip!
(4)Mila G.
We had great service here, and food was really good. Nice atmosphere, and it was quiet enough to still talk.
(4)Maria M.
The margaritas were decent, I'll admit. The food was not. I read some of the reviews but decided to give it a shot and I was so in the mood for Mexican. First we started off with chips and salsa. The salsa was nice and thick and the chips were thick but good. Then we read in menu they charge for refills on chips and salsa?! Ha ha ha!!! Wow! We proceed to get Mexican combinations with a chile relleno, enchilada, taco, and some guacamole tostada. Ordered a tamale on the side just to try. The meal said it came with rice and beans there was no beans and the rice was maybe a few spoonfuls. As you can see the plates were slopped on with excess sauces. It was bland and lacked any presentation. Everything just seemed barely thrown together and they even charge you for refills on non alcoholic drinks! I showed the waiter my yelp 10% discount and it al oat felt he didn't want to give it to me. We asked for our check to be split in 2 and he said he couldn't. After the look I must have had in my face he came back with 2 checks. Worse experience and really lousy food! You get better authentic Mexican at Taco Bell!
(1)Heather P.
The house margarita was weak and on the sweet side. Chile relleno and cheese enchilada were undercooked (although they replaced them). You could tell the chips were old and I wasn't impressed with the salsa. I have yet to find good Mexican food in Arvada, or Colorado for that matter. No manager visited our table, which seems like should have happened.
(1)Kiersten S.
Been there many times before and left very happy. Stopped in on 5/16/15. The bartender made our "top shelf" margaritas with bottom shelf tequila not the hornitos reposado that we ordered and than used gran gallo instead of the Gran Marnier that we requested . Being in the industry we questioned her about this and she tried to explain how it was "basically the same thing". We took one sip out of our margaritas and left. As a restaurant they should know that hiring a cutie blonde who doesn't know how to make a top shelf drink is not going to impress your customers. Huge fail!
(1)Lani P.
W'eve been hitting this place several times a month especially in the evening after working out at Lakeshore. I really do like this place and the menu is very extensive. I don't bother really checking in anymore since the last few times, they said the 20% off coupon from our yelp check-in is for the other place..UMMM well Hello the other Tapatio is too far for the check-in to work, so they really need to fix this. THe food, while not the best, is pretty good and is pretty huge portions. I say this is a worthy place to eat no more than once a month and I've made it a point to lessen going here. I always get their tacos and I've tried they're white fish plate before. Other than that I'm not really open to anything else on the menu.
(4)Alethea S.
I'm a gringo who loves Mexican food and thankfully Denver has a ton of really great places to eat. El Tapatio isn't one of them. They are about as original as the Bennigans that came before them in this spot. I'll cut to the chase. The chips and salsa was really good. The Tacos al Carbon arrived with so many Jalapeno peppers that I could barely find the meat. When I mentioned to the waiter, Manuel, that the food was ridiculously spicy, owing to the 3/4 cup of peppers for 3 little tacos, he laughed. Not a good sign. The kids enjoyed their plates and the kids menu was actually really decent. I should have ordered off their menu. This is the problem with the place: the service is lousy, the food is really hit or miss and the atmosphere is Bennigans. Save your money and frequent some of the mom n pop shops that do a much better, more consistent, job.
(1)Ryan V.
I am so disappointed in this restaurant. I have had really good food here once, every time since, it's been bland. Very bland. The banana split is the only positive thing about this entire place. My girlfriend says the same thing. On top of the poor food, every time I go here, I leave a good tip and when I check my bank statement the payment is always more then what I signed for. It's less than a dollar difference, but making me pay $0.60 more than what I signed for on my bill is not only wrong, it's illegal. This place needs to be checked out ,now.
(2)June L.
This is the first time I've been to this location ( I usually go to their location in Lakewood.) Our server was friendly but a service was slow. We ordered nachos as our appetizer they were good, but the jalapeño we from a can not fresh. Otherwise our food and dinning experience was good. Not sure if I would come back to this location tho.
(3)Rachel C.
For an old Bennigan's turned Mexican restaurant, this place is not too shabby. They offer your typical assortment of traditional Mexican dishes, as well as breakfast served all day. Unlimited chips and salsa and cheap beer prices were also a plus. I ordered one of their combo options and was pleased with the portion sizes. We asked for extra hot chile and were sadly disappointed. This is a good run of the mill neighborhood Mexican joint.
(3)James S.
A good Mexican restaurant. My wife and I had Steak Fajita's, and a Quesadilla. The food was alright, not great. I'd return, but the service was slow and UN-attentive, hence the 3 star review. Not the top spot in Arvada for sure.
(3)Sara S.
I went to El Tapatio a couple months back, and was treated to sub-par wait service. My food was pretty good, but I just can't get over how restaurants can make it while their wait staff is rude and ignoring most of the time. I specifically remember sitting with an empty water and soda glass for the whole entire time. Yep, not one refill was offered, even on the water! He took forever to take our orders as well! It will be a while before I return to this El Tapatio. I will still head to the one off Wads and Alameda! Maybe it was just an off night for our server....
(2)Leahrae A.
Sitting on the patio having a margarita is great. The margaritas are good, and they are big. Haven't always ate dinner here, but what I did have was good. Not exceptional, but good mexican food. But the margaritas alone, on the patio when the weather is warm....can't be beat. Great evening place in Arvada.
(4)Christian S.
Pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Service was okay, food was okay. I would go back if I was in the area and needed to eat but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)Dave B.
12/09/2011 Still just 3 stars from me. Our service was slow and indifferent. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that your mere presence as a customer has ruined their day? My daughter asked for some extra lettuce and they charged us $1 for a small portion of shredded lettuce. In my opinion, when Dad is drinking the high-margin beer, you don't charge for a smidgen of lettuce. It is not the $1, it is the principle. I went outside the envelope and order a burger medium rare. It came that way with a huge amount of crisp fries. 11/28/2011 If Mexican-Americans decided to re-create Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant, this would be it. Large bar and cutesy photos from Mexico instead of Texas. I ate the bean burrito with chicarron on top. It was OK. The service was pleasant.
(3)Tracie B.
El Tapatio is what La Fonda, Holly Inn etc, ought to be. Yes, it's like the Tex-Mex version of Chili's (okay, full disclosure here - I like Chili's). It's contrived but I can forgive that because the food is very, very good. My standard Mexican test is a smothered bean burrito and El Tapatio gets a solid B+/A-. It's the right size, the beans are flavorful and it's smothered in spicy, well seasoned green chili. I've been there twice and had a great experience both times.
(4)mike m.
!!!
(5)D W.
This place has alright food. Not any better than I can make at home. The service at this place in particular is TERRIBLE. My husband and I waited almost 10 minutes to be seated and then a large family came in behind us. They were seated first! Unbelievable. I am utterly disappointed.
(1)Danny F.
Amazing food, great staff every time we come in for lunch! Love coming here and bringing clients. Keep up the good work!
(5)Erin S.
My friend and I came here for lunch a while back as our normal spot was closed for some remodeling. I have had people tell me that this is a really great place and the food is amazing. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. I don't even know where to start. The green chile had no flavor or heat at all, the beans were flavorless even after adding salt. The chips were ok, but the salsa was totally watered down and completely flavorless. I have never left a Mexican restaurant hungry but I did this time. The only reason I am giving 2 stars is because of our waiter. I am not sure if the no flavor is typical of this place, but I am pretty sure I won't give it a second chance to find out.
(2)David M.
I went here yesterday for a big group event. We called a week in advance to reserve a spot and then called again two days before to confirm the reservation. By the time we got there, there were no tables set up. They tried to put something together for our party but tried shoving 22 people into a space for 15. When we approached the manager he walked away from us and ignored what we had to say. He handled this situation horribly and said he wouldn't even want our business. Overall horrible experience and I would not recommend going here as they are not willing to accommodate their customers.
(1)David L.
Terrible. Save your money. Bland everything. Even the chips they use for the chips and salsa were bland. Saw the "Today's Specials" sign when we walked in. When we were seated I asked the waiter what the specials were and he said he didn't know and that I could go look at the sign again. I asked if they had something in print that had the specials listed, and he just looked at me and said "no" and walked away. So I'm to go back to the entrance and look at the sign, and try to memorize it or take a photo of it to share the info with my wife and daughter?? ... Or your waiter could just have a list of them to read off to me? Maybe? Started off by ordering the queso... Turned out to be velvetta. No joke. Velvetta "cheese". Sub-par ground beef, mystery slop on everything, and chewy steak on the fajitas. Terrible. Save your money.
(1)Sabrina W.
Service was excellent! We were seated fast, and everyone was on the ball, literally running from the tables to the kitchen. They were very friendly! I also like the quiet atmosphere- music was at a decent volume and we could talk without yelling at each other. Food was good too. We were delighted to find that they actually provided enough tortillas for the fajitas - most restaurants do not. My husband felt like the food needed more salt (easy fix), but overall the food was good. I wouldn't say it was unusually awesome compared to other Mexican restaurants, but it was right in there with the flavor and quality. We will come again!
(4)Sarah E.
Good service, and the bartender makes a great Presidente and Coke! Had a great time having friends getting together and great drinks! The margaritas are huge!
(3)Samantha T.
We remembered the restaurant being good but not today. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband ordered the shrimp adovado. Both of ours were terrible. The service was super slow too. Our draft beers were good as was the queso.
(2)Dawn H.
My son ordered the chicken tacos and the chicken was dry and tough. Toward the end of the meal he bit into one of the tacos and hurt his tooth. Found a piece of twine in the chicken. Worst part, the Manager would not even acknowledge what my husband was showing him. Couldn't believe it. A good manager would take responsibility and at least apologize and hopefully prevent it from happening again.
(1)Tiffany W.
Has this place changed? Or maybe I was just really hungry the first time I ever ate here. Heck, I was really hungry when I ate here this time but it didn't seem to have the same effect on me. I met a friend for lunch and was happy to see they had several lunch specials. They also have happy hour (including food specials) in the bar but the server took the specials card away before I realized what was on the back and got a chance to read it (darn it). Our basket of chips was alright. They had a kind of funky oil taste to them, but nothing that the large bowl of salsa that came with couldn't cover up. I appreciate that ET serves a regular-size portion of salsa -- none of this 1/4 cup for chip dippers. It's a portion us chip scoopers can appreciate. And it's got a nice kick without being unbearable. For our meals I ordered the El Tapatio Special sans chicken or beef (veggies only) for $7.99, and my friend got the green chili plate with flour tortillas for $4.99, with a side of cheese for $1.50. The El Tapatio Special is basically a cheese quesadilla covered with fajita mix: onions, peppers, canned mushrooms, and meat if you order it. SUPER greasy. It's served with standard rice, beans, and sour cream. The green chili plate is literally a plate of chili (that has large chunks of meat) served with tortilla(s). Service was quick, as was our foods' arrival to the table. The place seemed to be a popular lunch spot. And as far as food goes, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't all that good, either. I think it was a little too greasy for my liking. Is this what all Mexican food is like? I rarely have it at restaurants when it's so easy to make at home, so I just can't be sure. Although now that I think about it, for a vegetarian it's usually goopy cheese covered with more goopy cheese and red chili, so it all makes sense. I appreciate that they were willing to accommodate my request for no meat. And truly that third star comes from the generous serving of salsa. I'm not in any rush to visit again but, for those times when I want Mexican but I don't feel like making it myself, well, there's always Mexican Bennigans.
(3)Sara B.
Came back here the other night and they still have consistently good food. This time around, I ordered the steak Mexicano. It was really tender and cooked perfectly! I am impressed every time that I come.
(5)Mike E.
A few of us stopped in for dinner at the El Tapatio in Arvada last Friday and pretty much got what we were expecting - decent food and some drinks. The parking lot was pretty full but they were still able to seat us right away on the patio. We ordered up some beers and margs, and then got a preview of what was to come as far as the service goes - as it took about 15-20 minutes to get our drinks out to us. BTW, a couple of people got the medium marg and were very glad they didn't go for the large one, they were huge! I went for the combo #7, which came with a smothered chicken burrito, a beef taco, and a bean tostada. It took forever and a day to get our food but when it did come everything was OK, but IMO the green chile was a little on the tame side. Everyone else in our group also thought their food was pretty good - a couple of chimi's and a couple of fajita's (chicken and shrimp). I'm not sure why they are as busy as they are, maybe it's the lack of other choices in that area. It seemed much busier than the other locations I've been too. It was nice to see that the food seems to be pretty much the same in all their locations, as sometimes local chains can have problems maintaining consistency. All in all it was a fun time, and I'm sure I'll be back for more at some point.
(3)Jeremy C.
Hmmm, being a gringo it is hard to take my review of Mexican places seriously. Anyhow I do love some Mexican food, I love local mom and pop shops. I was always under the impression that El Tapatio was one of those. Turns out it is a chain restaurant. Chips and salsa are good, well they are about as good as it gets for chips and salsa lol. Lots of cilantro in there which is a little strange. I love the tacos, love the number 8 combination (three tacos, rice and beans). I also love the steak fajitas. They have good deserts and giant drinks which is great when you are looking at getting some Mexican food. Downside is that the service can be hit and miss at the locations. I wish it was consistent and could recommend it to everyone.
(4)Brandy V.
I love this place, my family and I have not experienced any bad dishes. Get a side of the chili asado with your meat or seafood dish. They are grilled jalapeños with seasonings.
(5)Dori S.
Compliments to the staff at this restaurant- they are very friendly and we received great service. Unfortunately, I feel sick just thinking about the food at this place. It reminded me of Chi-Chi's from 1977- when gringos were first introduced to the concept of chain Mexican food. I ordered a fajita combo quesadilla and the meat was bland, unseasoned and the beef tasted old and stale. The margaritas were bland and watered-down. There are too many other great choices to over-pay for poor quality food. Just say'n. :(
(1)Happy C.
Service is HORRIBLE: I was seated by an indifferent hostess and then ignored completely by waitstaff that walked back and forth past my table about 6 times. I walked out after waiting 10 minutes for someone to approach my table. Did I mention there were only 3 other customers in the entire restaurant? I won't be back.
(1)Joe J.
The food and service here were both average. I will usually go for steak fajitas at new Mexican restaurants. I wasn't very impressed with the fajitas here. They cooked the typical green pepper/onion accompanying veggies too long. They were pathetically limp and had been sauced up and cooked so long that they were nearly the same color!! Green peppers are.... green..... and onions are a light whitish pinky/purple. Both of them were a dark brownish WAY over carmelized color. Bleh! The salsa was good with the tortilla chips and I usually am picky about them. Thumbs up there. Unfortunately, the best part of the meal was my beer. Guess its hard to mess that up. An average eatery with a fairly decent atmosphere. Not that wonderful.
(3)Teresa L.
Good service, great lunch specials, and very good food. The prices were a bit high, though, so I'd probably go back for lunch if anything. They had the most extensive shrimp section that I've ever seen on a Mexican menu before.... and some of them looked awesome! Bacon-wrapped and stuffed with cheese? Yes please!
(4)Kat A.
Tacos al carbon, chicken quesadillas, burritos, tamales...between four of us, we ate a stupid amount of food last night. Add to the feasting some horchata, a couple glasses of Fanta, two baskets of chips and about a half gallon of salsa, and daaaaaaaaamn. I was leery of the place - not too sure why. The service was spectacular, and my husband was over the moon that we opted to celebrate his birthday here. Their dishes have heat. I'm a spice wuss when it comes to Mexican food, so my steak tacos and the green mystery peppers threatened to do me in (which would probably be considered medium spice at most by others), but the meal was really good - and I loved the carmelized onions. Furthermore: holy crap, tons of food. I have at least two more meals to go. As it was the husband's birthday, the celebration wrapped up with some cheesecake loaded with whipped cream. The prices were a little higher than I'm used to for Mexican food, but the guys I dined with couldn't say enough good things about the place. I have no doubt it will become a staple for my husband who worships at the Mexican food alter.
(4)Dani A.
Not only does this place have great food but the service was also fantastic. I ended up going twice in a row and would most definitely recommend this place to friends! I also plan on going back several more times!
(5)Mikhal E.
I ordered the steak fajitas and they were fantastic. The meat was high quality and the veggies were cooked perfectly. We ordered a couple of drinks, the guacamole dip, the steak fajitas, and the chicken fajitas; and the total was only about $55. I'd say that's pretty reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food we got. I'd give them 5 stars, but our first waitress was rude. The waitress that took over for her was great though, extremely friendly and helpful.
(4)Sarah W.
The food here is somewhat inconsistent, but we always receive good service and end up leaving satisfied. Sometimes the food seems much spicier than others and on one occasion, the meat was very underseasoned. However, typically the food is good and flavorful and the drinks are delicious! Their margaritas are huge, yummy, and reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol you receive. Also, the staff has always been friendly and very accomodating, so overall, this place is great when you are craving some good Mexican-American cuisine accompanied by a giant margarita.
(4)Wesley Z.
The food tasted great. I had a Chimichanga and the chicken was well done. The salsa was also pretty good with decent chips. The staff was friendly although they did forget about my salsa and chips for a while.
(4)Larry P.
With so many mexican resturants in town, this one is okay. There are much better ones. The staff is good. The food is not that great. Like a glorified Taco Bell. Not much flavor. Do yourself a favor and go to a better place.
(2)Mark B.
I don't know how anybody could give this place less than three stars. I have been to this location almost a half dozen times and at least that many more to the golden and south Wadsworth locations. Every time I get friendly and attentive service and good food. They don't play the music too loud, they put what I want on tv, and the crowd is always the same. Some people knock the chain aspect of this brand but rest assured that they are a Colorado company and you can visit their original location next to the belmar shopping center anytime you like. Others also seem to knock on the lack of "wow" factor in the cuisine. This is the only reason why I give this restaurant four stars. This isn't a place for your anniversary dinner, it's a place for your "I don't wanna cook tonight" dinner. The food is always good and that is one of the several reasons that I continue to come back to this establishment.
(4)Scot P.
Tucked between a carpet and tile store and The Country Buffet is this little jem. Actually several little gems along the front range. Although the decor and atmosphere is very much like a Chilis the service is fantastic and the food even better. Plus, Mexican on St Patricks day is fun and deviant. The Carna Asada was juicy with a brave little bowl of it's own sauce and the rest well, you'll have to find out for yourself. It was good enough for a second try and I'll update my review after that.
(3)Vanessa B.
My husband and I are Mexican aficionados, and our children are becoming so. We like this place a lot, all four of us. The kids menu is great, they have handled our gluten free requests really easily, prices are good and service is fine. Husband and I always order seafood, for what it's worth. We have never tried any of the cheese smothered combos so I can't speak to those. We have a family member who is Mexican (from Mexico, not just of Mexican descent, so a good judge of Mexican food) and we brought him to the Lakewood location and he too was a fan of El Tapatio, for whatever that is worth. He too ordered seafood.
(4)Linda B.
I went to this restaurant this past weekend with a party of 10 (5 kids, 5 adults), and although the food and service were supposedly fine, we were lied to by the servers and overcharged without our consent. Since the bill was to be split between 3 people, we had all cash except one credit card. The server came back and informed us that their credit card system was "out of service", so we ended up paying in cash. As we looked at our bank account, our credit card was charged, and to top it off, it was charged more than what should have been owed. Regardless of food, a business should not try to cheat and lie to their customers. I do not recommend this restaurant, and I ask anyone who goes, to make sure they check their financials.
(1)Krista S.
Their parking lot is ALWAYS full so of course I HAD to check it out. =) I had a combination type thing since it was my first time there, the enchilada was eh...the taco was eh...but the chile rellano OMG it was FANTASTIC!!! It puts 3 margaritas rellanos to shame!!! Basically their food is eh...except for the rellanos, so if you don't like rellanos I would go somewhere else.
(3)Tiara Q.
We were expecting an average time based on the other reviews but everything here is excellent. The salsa was fresh, a little spicy, lots of cilantro. We ordered the shrimp rellanos and they were amazing. The shrimp were huge, filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon. Neither of us could finish the plate since the portion was so large. The mojito and margs were on point too. The service was immaculate. Can't believe the place was empty! Will definitely return. Would have given 5 stars if the beans weren't so salty, the rice was Spanish style and they took down the old bennigans decor.
(4)Carlos M.
I want to give this place 4 stars but I just can't do it. This place is ok for the most part the wife and I go there every so often and its usually pretty good and service is usually fast.(although last night they were really slow and it wasn't even busy.) The chips and salsa are good and the guacamole is yummy too. I will say this I think they have the best ceviche de pescado around. That is pretty much the only thing I order when I go,its that good! I have had a couple of other things and they're ok. The wife usually orders a combo plate and is full and happy when she's done eating so I guess that's a good thing.The wife always orders a strawberry margarita too and they are huge and strong. So that's another plus for the place. So all in all its an ok joint for Mexican food with for the most part good and fast service. Its nothing special and will curb your appetite for Mexican, of course there are better in my opinion,but I hate reading reviews when people say "go to blah blah's a couple blocks up the street they are way better...."
(3)Stefanie C.
Finding decent Mexican food in Denver is harder than you might think. I'm not saying that El Tapatio has aced that field, but they do fairly well. I've been several times and prefer it over the Arvada/Westminster Three Margaritas (don't get me started). Service is great, food is hot and to the table in a flash...and it's even quite tasty. BUT, I have noticed they are pretty heavy handed with the salt. Now, I'm a salt girl myself, but they even have me reaching for the water. That being said, I am happy they are one of the few places that offers chicharones (pork rinds) burritos AND if they do charge extra, its less than a dollar; unlike other places ($3+). It's definitely one of my Go Tos, but I just gotta remember to take off my rings at bed that night!
(4)Kelly J.
The food here is very good. However the service is just god awful, just absolutely incompetent. 3 times I have gotten take out, 3 times my order has been missing stuff. I've had them hang up on me when calling, called ordered waited 20 minutes before going in only to arrive to find my order hasn't been entered into their system yet. It's just not worth the hassle. I won't be going back.
(1)Linda V.
This restaurant opened recently in a former Bennigan's. The menu is what you'd expect from a Mexi place. Service is great. You can't go wrong with their seafood dishes. For a healthier Mexi option, get the Camarones Mojo de Ajo. It comes w/white rice and fresh avacodo slices and tortillas. Delicious, very flavorful. We've never had bad service here. Hubby loves the pork chops. Their mole sauce is one of the best we've had in the Denver area.
(3)A R.
Don't waste your time on this salty mess that they call Mexican food. The only saving grace were the chips, salsa and margaritas...in that order. If you do like salt licks then by all mean go for it but if not then spend your time and money elsewhere.
(1)Rebecca B.
The Banana-Orange Margarita deserves 5 Stars...everything else was- "Meh". My friend and I stopped in here late one evening. We were seated and waited a bit for our waitress to arrive. When she did, we asked her what kind of flavored margarita's they had. She listed a few and seemed a bit flustered, ( I think there was a language barrier). She then said she'd be "right back." Ten minutes later a gentlemen approached us and took our drink order. Ten minutes after that we got our drinks. By then we were ready to order food but no one came to check on us. There were three servers talking to each other at the bar and another three servers talking to each other in the front. We flagged down the first waitress who told us again, "I'll be right back." A few minutes later the gentlemen returned and took our order. The same waiting game occurred when waiting for the to-go boxes and for the check. The whole time there was maybe 5 or 6 other customers in the whole place and the staff continued to sit around, chatting. I was annoyed and my burrito was not worth waiting around for. My friend enjoyed her combo platter (#10, I think), but the lack of service just killed the mood. I felt guilty for only leaving a $3 tip, but what can I say? At least they got something for sitting around. To give them some credit, the prices were actually pretty reasonable and if you like really spicy salsa with too much cilantro- this place is a good pick. Maybe when they are busier they are more on their game...
(2)Jauhna M.
One of my favorite Mexican spots in town! The service is unbeatable, friendly, attentive staff that check up regularly, keep our drinks topped off and make sure we are happy. And they were great with our 2 year old, talking and joking her and making the whole family feel welcome. The food is good, I've had stale chips once or twice but the salsa is great and the entrees have always been hot, delicious and generously portioned. My favorite part was the cucumber margarita! I'll be back for many reasons but this margarita was absolutely to die for, I'm craving it just writing about it :)
(4)Dave E.
Food is okay. Nothing special. What pissed me off though is that they would not honor their 10% off after checking into their business. It's BS for a business to advertise a coupon and then deny it when you're a customer. My waiter was Jesus and the manager he talked to was also the bartender. Watch out for this business. Not sure what other shady stuff goes on here.
(1)Niki V.
Was a little hesitant to try this location because I've only been to the Alameda location. And it's always great. It was a Sunday and we were craving Micheladas so off we went. I had a tacos platter that came with carnitas, tripitas, Asada, and some.other ones..and they were great. I also ordered a half dozen of ostiones. And these oysters were by far the best I've ever had anywhere. They were big, fresh, served with sliced purple onions, and jalapenos. SOOOOOOO GOOD. I haven't stopped craving them since. And I even Got the BF to try them. He actually didn't mind them. We Will be back soon.
(4)Dirk V.
Food was hot and came fast. Tasted good. Staff is friendly. Mexican music in background but lots of screens tuned to different sports channels.
(5)Paul S.
Overall not a bad place, similar food to Tafalino's in Lakewood, good but nowhere near great. Their salsa is amazing but their chips are pretty crappy so that is kind of annoying. Their margaritas are freakin huge, definitely a good thing in my opinion. Food was pretty good, I had one of their combos, a smothered chicken burrito, bean tostada, and a beef taco. Like I said, it was ok but nothing amazing. My waiter was cool and was there when I needed and quick. But he was not constantly at my table bothering me, I can't stand that personally.
(3)Sarah E.
Good service, and the bartender makes a great Presidente and Coke! Had a great time having friends getting together and great drinks! The margaritas are huge!
(3)Lana S.
Quite a disgusting place. My boyfriend called it a glamorized Taco Bell. Although we did not have high expectations given the terrible reviews, this place managed to even disappoint our already ridiculously low expectations. I have never had stale worm corn chips in my entire life. Yup, stale warm corn chips. It's beyond my comprehension how El Tapatio, given the high volume of customers, manages not to have fresh corn chips. Heck, even if I leave a bag of store bought corn chips out for 2 months they still don't taste nearly as bad. Now what's the best way to cover up the staleness of the chips? That's right, warm them up. Unfortunately, this created quite a nasty combination. The salsa that comes with the chips is equally gross. The house margarita tasted like a terrible cheap, high corn fructose loaded mix with a splash of tequila. Now lets move on to our entrees. IMHO chimichanga should be crispy. Our chimichanga was mildly warmed up in the frying pan and covered in green chili. Green chili was probably the only edible thing in the whole dish. The ground beef was a bit questionable. No wait, I questioned its origin and quality a lot. The 15 dollar mixed seafood cocktail was gross at best (vuelve a la vida). Yeah, what did I expect? They did have a lot of seafood dishes on the menu, so I assumed it was going to be decent. The tomato sauce tasted rancid. The scallops were not even cooked, oysters tasted like they came straight from a 10 year old can. The shrimps were okish. Oh well, here is what we get for not listening to Yelpers!
(2)Michael H.
This is our go-to place to have dinner and leave happy. The food is pretty straight forward American/Mexican food. Simple and delicious and the portions are more than enough. I'm sure everyone else has mentioned it but the margaritas are huge. If you're in the neighborhood and looking for a good one then this is your best option. Finally I don't typically give much weight to service but I've been here enough to know that it's consistently quick and friendly. Prices are also more than reasonable and the bar area is a decent place to catch the game.
(5)Cinde W.
I can't get past the mystery "meat-paste-Alpo" ground beef tacos. Disgusting. No idea what it I'd but it is not ground beef. I couldn't eat it and it ruined the rest of the meal. Had a couple bites of a tamale...bland, no flavor at all. The flauta was bland also, and very small. Won't be back. Seriously, that meat-paste was too much!
(1)Khampha K.
I thought this place was going to be "Mexican-American" but once I sat down, took in the atmosphere and got my food it all sunk in...this place is like authentic Mexican food and it's really good. Their camarones diablas are my favorite. Very, very spicy... Just how I like it!! If I go anywhere else for this dish, I'm never satisfied. Glad I decided to check this place out. Excellent and authentic with a lot of variety on the menu
(4)D W.
This place has alright food. Not any better than I can make at home. The service at this place in particular is TERRIBLE. My husband and I waited almost 10 minutes to be seated and then a large family came in behind us. They were seated first! Unbelievable. I am utterly disappointed.
(1)Danny F.
Amazing food, great staff every time we come in for lunch! Love coming here and bringing clients. Keep up the good work!
(5)Maria M.
The margaritas were decent, I'll admit. The food was not. I read some of the reviews but decided to give it a shot and I was so in the mood for Mexican. First we started off with chips and salsa. The salsa was nice and thick and the chips were thick but good. Then we read in menu they charge for refills on chips and salsa?! Ha ha ha!!! Wow! We proceed to get Mexican combinations with a chile relleno, enchilada, taco, and some guacamole tostada. Ordered a tamale on the side just to try. The meal said it came with rice and beans there was no beans and the rice was maybe a few spoonfuls. As you can see the plates were slopped on with excess sauces. It was bland and lacked any presentation. Everything just seemed barely thrown together and they even charge you for refills on non alcoholic drinks! I showed the waiter my yelp 10% discount and it al oat felt he didn't want to give it to me. We asked for our check to be split in 2 and he said he couldn't. After the look I must have had in my face he came back with 2 checks. Worse experience and really lousy food! You get better authentic Mexican at Taco Bell!
(1)Heather P.
The house margarita was weak and on the sweet side. Chile relleno and cheese enchilada were undercooked (although they replaced them). You could tell the chips were old and I wasn't impressed with the salsa. I have yet to find good Mexican food in Arvada, or Colorado for that matter. No manager visited our table, which seems like should have happened.
(1)Kiersten S.
Been there many times before and left very happy. Stopped in on 5/16/15. The bartender made our "top shelf" margaritas with bottom shelf tequila not the hornitos reposado that we ordered and than used gran gallo instead of the Gran Marnier that we requested . Being in the industry we questioned her about this and she tried to explain how it was "basically the same thing". We took one sip out of our margaritas and left. As a restaurant they should know that hiring a cutie blonde who doesn't know how to make a top shelf drink is not going to impress your customers. Huge fail!
(1)Shaun S.
I am a fan!! I passed by this place hundreds of times and thought, "oh great, here's another Mexican restaurant." Over a week ago, we stopped in for the first time, and I am writing this review because it exceeded my expectations. What I expected was a place that had a list of Mexican combinations (like some protein wrapped in a tortilla). On the way in, I saw their "Specials" sign that featured steaks, fish, lobster, and shrimp. Immediately, my appetite changed for something more than the ubiquitous Mexican dishes that I expected. We sat at the bar (both times) and I ordered a BIG beer and she got a HUGE pour of wine, and both were inexpensive. Then they brought us chips and salsa. First, the salsa has no detectable onions, and secondly, the salsa is HOT!! Anybody who has read my reviews knows that I HATE onions, love inexpensive booze, and love spicy food. Perusing the menu, I realized that there are dozens of items that I would like to try. I chose the Relleno Shrimp -- 7 large shrimp wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and served with a spicy Mexican flavored BBQ sauce, beans, rice, and avocados. Holy Good. The bacon was crisp and the shrimp were not overcooked. They were so awesome that I ordered them again later in the week. She ordered some steak dish that was marinated and seasoned awesomely. Don't expect a filet or ribeye, but rather think marinated flank streak. It was cooked more on the well side, but it was juicy and not overly done. The flavor was excellent. I am ashamed to admit that my preconceptions kept me out of this place for most of the past decade (I remember eating at Bennigan's though). What impressed me was that the steak and seafood tasted like the great steak and seafood that I have eaten on the Western Mexican Coast. I will go back many times for seafood and steaks. The only negatives that I can comment is that the servers use the bar to serve the people seated in the tables surrounding the bar. They leave trays on the bar and hit bar patrons on the back with the service trays. If you watch Bar Rescue, you would know that John Taffer would scream that the empty tray left on the bar stool or left on an (seemingly) empty bar place is costing them at least $10k in lost revenue!!!! There must be a better and less intrusive way. And when using the 10% Yelp Check In Offer, they tried saying that it was for another location, but I showed them that it was based on GPS and listed their address. They did honor it after a few awkward minutes. I cannot review the burritos, chimichangas, tacos, etc. In fact, I will probably never try any of that Americanized crap because the other food is so good. I recommend that next time you want steak or seafood, think outside the box and give this place a try.
(4)Rahyma P.
Everything was delicious, I wish we had known how big the dishes were before we order, on the other hand the 18% tip was added to out total without us knowing. Good food though.
(4)Vic M.
I give four stars. The first time we came here i had the steak ranchera and it wasnt great it had no flavor. Well today I got a mojcahete or however you spell it and i am very happy lol i recommend trying it! Oh and our waiter is the reason its not a 5 star review. No chips and salsa didnt take our order the bartender did. The bartender gets the tip!
(4)Mila G.
We had great service here, and food was really good. Nice atmosphere, and it was quiet enough to still talk.
(4)Lani P.
W'eve been hitting this place several times a month especially in the evening after working out at Lakeshore. I really do like this place and the menu is very extensive. I don't bother really checking in anymore since the last few times, they said the 20% off coupon from our yelp check-in is for the other place..UMMM well Hello the other Tapatio is too far for the check-in to work, so they really need to fix this. THe food, while not the best, is pretty good and is pretty huge portions. I say this is a worthy place to eat no more than once a month and I've made it a point to lessen going here. I always get their tacos and I've tried they're white fish plate before. Other than that I'm not really open to anything else on the menu.
(4)Christina R.
I accidentally ordered my take-out from the wrong location, and the hostesses and server were so understanding. They sped up my order for five people and we were in and out within 10 minutes! We were so impressed, and they even have is a very generous portion of chips and salsa to-go. So thankful to them!
(5)Erin S.
My friend and I came here for lunch a while back as our normal spot was closed for some remodeling. I have had people tell me that this is a really great place and the food is amazing. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. I don't even know where to start. The green chile had no flavor or heat at all, the beans were flavorless even after adding salt. The chips were ok, but the salsa was totally watered down and completely flavorless. I have never left a Mexican restaurant hungry but I did this time. The only reason I am giving 2 stars is because of our waiter. I am not sure if the no flavor is typical of this place, but I am pretty sure I won't give it a second chance to find out.
(2)David M.
I went here yesterday for a big group event. We called a week in advance to reserve a spot and then called again two days before to confirm the reservation. By the time we got there, there were no tables set up. They tried to put something together for our party but tried shoving 22 people into a space for 15. When we approached the manager he walked away from us and ignored what we had to say. He handled this situation horribly and said he wouldn't even want our business. Overall horrible experience and I would not recommend going here as they are not willing to accommodate their customers.
(1)David L.
Terrible. Save your money. Bland everything. Even the chips they use for the chips and salsa were bland. Saw the "Today's Specials" sign when we walked in. When we were seated I asked the waiter what the specials were and he said he didn't know and that I could go look at the sign again. I asked if they had something in print that had the specials listed, and he just looked at me and said "no" and walked away. So I'm to go back to the entrance and look at the sign, and try to memorize it or take a photo of it to share the info with my wife and daughter?? ... Or your waiter could just have a list of them to read off to me? Maybe? Started off by ordering the queso... Turned out to be velvetta. No joke. Velvetta "cheese". Sub-par ground beef, mystery slop on everything, and chewy steak on the fajitas. Terrible. Save your money.
(1)Sabrina W.
Service was excellent! We were seated fast, and everyone was on the ball, literally running from the tables to the kitchen. They were very friendly! I also like the quiet atmosphere- music was at a decent volume and we could talk without yelling at each other. Food was good too. We were delighted to find that they actually provided enough tortillas for the fajitas - most restaurants do not. My husband felt like the food needed more salt (easy fix), but overall the food was good. I wouldn't say it was unusually awesome compared to other Mexican restaurants, but it was right in there with the flavor and quality. We will come again!
(4)Ascary M.
Excellent carnitas plate is always a good bet and so is the Queso fondido appetizer. Good service too be here many times.
(5)Steven Z.
Not looking promising. Sat me in a two seat booth with my friend and I'm not huge but it was tight. We moved to the bar and menu was dirty/nasty. Needs to be clean. We were asked several times if we wanted water which we replied yes but we never did see it. Food was average. I think I'll stay with my favorite Mexican restaurant in Littleton.
(2)Samantha T.
We remembered the restaurant being good but not today. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband ordered the shrimp adovado. Both of ours were terrible. The service was super slow too. Our draft beers were good as was the queso.
(2)Tiffany W.
Has this place changed? Or maybe I was just really hungry the first time I ever ate here. Heck, I was really hungry when I ate here this time but it didn't seem to have the same effect on me. I met a friend for lunch and was happy to see they had several lunch specials. They also have happy hour (including food specials) in the bar but the server took the specials card away before I realized what was on the back and got a chance to read it (darn it). Our basket of chips was alright. They had a kind of funky oil taste to them, but nothing that the large bowl of salsa that came with couldn't cover up. I appreciate that ET serves a regular-size portion of salsa -- none of this 1/4 cup for chip dippers. It's a portion us chip scoopers can appreciate. And it's got a nice kick without being unbearable. For our meals I ordered the El Tapatio Special sans chicken or beef (veggies only) for $7.99, and my friend got the green chili plate with flour tortillas for $4.99, with a side of cheese for $1.50. The El Tapatio Special is basically a cheese quesadilla covered with fajita mix: onions, peppers, canned mushrooms, and meat if you order it. SUPER greasy. It's served with standard rice, beans, and sour cream. The green chili plate is literally a plate of chili (that has large chunks of meat) served with tortilla(s). Service was quick, as was our foods' arrival to the table. The place seemed to be a popular lunch spot. And as far as food goes, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't all that good, either. I think it was a little too greasy for my liking. Is this what all Mexican food is like? I rarely have it at restaurants when it's so easy to make at home, so I just can't be sure. Although now that I think about it, for a vegetarian it's usually goopy cheese covered with more goopy cheese and red chili, so it all makes sense. I appreciate that they were willing to accommodate my request for no meat. And truly that third star comes from the generous serving of salsa. I'm not in any rush to visit again but, for those times when I want Mexican but I don't feel like making it myself, well, there's always Mexican Bennigans.
(3)Sara B.
Came back here the other night and they still have consistently good food. This time around, I ordered the steak Mexicano. It was really tender and cooked perfectly! I am impressed every time that I come.
(5)Mike E.
A few of us stopped in for dinner at the El Tapatio in Arvada last Friday and pretty much got what we were expecting - decent food and some drinks. The parking lot was pretty full but they were still able to seat us right away on the patio. We ordered up some beers and margs, and then got a preview of what was to come as far as the service goes - as it took about 15-20 minutes to get our drinks out to us. BTW, a couple of people got the medium marg and were very glad they didn't go for the large one, they were huge! I went for the combo #7, which came with a smothered chicken burrito, a beef taco, and a bean tostada. It took forever and a day to get our food but when it did come everything was OK, but IMO the green chile was a little on the tame side. Everyone else in our group also thought their food was pretty good - a couple of chimi's and a couple of fajita's (chicken and shrimp). I'm not sure why they are as busy as they are, maybe it's the lack of other choices in that area. It seemed much busier than the other locations I've been too. It was nice to see that the food seems to be pretty much the same in all their locations, as sometimes local chains can have problems maintaining consistency. All in all it was a fun time, and I'm sure I'll be back for more at some point.
(3)Dawn H.
My son ordered the chicken tacos and the chicken was dry and tough. Toward the end of the meal he bit into one of the tacos and hurt his tooth. Found a piece of twine in the chicken. Worst part, the Manager would not even acknowledge what my husband was showing him. Couldn't believe it. A good manager would take responsibility and at least apologize and hopefully prevent it from happening again.
(1)Jeremy C.
Hmmm, being a gringo it is hard to take my review of Mexican places seriously. Anyhow I do love some Mexican food, I love local mom and pop shops. I was always under the impression that El Tapatio was one of those. Turns out it is a chain restaurant. Chips and salsa are good, well they are about as good as it gets for chips and salsa lol. Lots of cilantro in there which is a little strange. I love the tacos, love the number 8 combination (three tacos, rice and beans). I also love the steak fajitas. They have good deserts and giant drinks which is great when you are looking at getting some Mexican food. Downside is that the service can be hit and miss at the locations. I wish it was consistent and could recommend it to everyone.
(4)Brandy V.
I love this place, my family and I have not experienced any bad dishes. Get a side of the chili asado with your meat or seafood dish. They are grilled jalapeños with seasonings.
(5)Leahrae A.
Sitting on the patio having a margarita is great. The margaritas are good, and they are big. Haven't always ate dinner here, but what I did have was good. Not exceptional, but good mexican food. But the margaritas alone, on the patio when the weather is warm....can't be beat. Great evening place in Arvada.
(4)Christian S.
Pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Service was okay, food was okay. I would go back if I was in the area and needed to eat but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)Alethea S.
I'm a gringo who loves Mexican food and thankfully Denver has a ton of really great places to eat. El Tapatio isn't one of them. They are about as original as the Bennigans that came before them in this spot. I'll cut to the chase. The chips and salsa was really good. The Tacos al Carbon arrived with so many Jalapeno peppers that I could barely find the meat. When I mentioned to the waiter, Manuel, that the food was ridiculously spicy, owing to the 3/4 cup of peppers for 3 little tacos, he laughed. Not a good sign. The kids enjoyed their plates and the kids menu was actually really decent. I should have ordered off their menu. This is the problem with the place: the service is lousy, the food is really hit or miss and the atmosphere is Bennigans. Save your money and frequent some of the mom n pop shops that do a much better, more consistent, job.
(1)Ryan V.
I am so disappointed in this restaurant. I have had really good food here once, every time since, it's been bland. Very bland. The banana split is the only positive thing about this entire place. My girlfriend says the same thing. On top of the poor food, every time I go here, I leave a good tip and when I check my bank statement the payment is always more then what I signed for. It's less than a dollar difference, but making me pay $0.60 more than what I signed for on my bill is not only wrong, it's illegal. This place needs to be checked out ,now.
(2)June L.
This is the first time I've been to this location ( I usually go to their location in Lakewood.) Our server was friendly but a service was slow. We ordered nachos as our appetizer they were good, but the jalapeño we from a can not fresh. Otherwise our food and dinning experience was good. Not sure if I would come back to this location tho.
(3)Rachel C.
For an old Bennigan's turned Mexican restaurant, this place is not too shabby. They offer your typical assortment of traditional Mexican dishes, as well as breakfast served all day. Unlimited chips and salsa and cheap beer prices were also a plus. I ordered one of their combo options and was pleased with the portion sizes. We asked for extra hot chile and were sadly disappointed. This is a good run of the mill neighborhood Mexican joint.
(3)James S.
A good Mexican restaurant. My wife and I had Steak Fajita's, and a Quesadilla. The food was alright, not great. I'd return, but the service was slow and UN-attentive, hence the 3 star review. Not the top spot in Arvada for sure.
(3)Sara S.
I went to El Tapatio a couple months back, and was treated to sub-par wait service. My food was pretty good, but I just can't get over how restaurants can make it while their wait staff is rude and ignoring most of the time. I specifically remember sitting with an empty water and soda glass for the whole entire time. Yep, not one refill was offered, even on the water! He took forever to take our orders as well! It will be a while before I return to this El Tapatio. I will still head to the one off Wads and Alameda! Maybe it was just an off night for our server....
(2)Dave B.
12/09/2011 Still just 3 stars from me. Our service was slow and indifferent. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that your mere presence as a customer has ruined their day? My daughter asked for some extra lettuce and they charged us $1 for a small portion of shredded lettuce. In my opinion, when Dad is drinking the high-margin beer, you don't charge for a smidgen of lettuce. It is not the $1, it is the principle. I went outside the envelope and order a burger medium rare. It came that way with a huge amount of crisp fries. 11/28/2011 If Mexican-Americans decided to re-create Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant, this would be it. Large bar and cutesy photos from Mexico instead of Texas. I ate the bean burrito with chicarron on top. It was OK. The service was pleasant.
(3)Tracie B.
El Tapatio is what La Fonda, Holly Inn etc, ought to be. Yes, it's like the Tex-Mex version of Chili's (okay, full disclosure here - I like Chili's). It's contrived but I can forgive that because the food is very, very good. My standard Mexican test is a smothered bean burrito and El Tapatio gets a solid B+/A-. It's the right size, the beans are flavorful and it's smothered in spicy, well seasoned green chili. I've been there twice and had a great experience both times.
(4)mike m.
!!!
(5)Andrea M.
:)
(4)Ty R.
Overall it's an ok place nice decor friendly staff good food but I feel 14$ for 3 rellenos is a bit over the top
(3)Dori S.
Compliments to the staff at this restaurant- they are very friendly and we received great service. Unfortunately, I feel sick just thinking about the food at this place. It reminded me of Chi-Chi's from 1977- when gringos were first introduced to the concept of chain Mexican food. I ordered a fajita combo quesadilla and the meat was bland, unseasoned and the beef tasted old and stale. The margaritas were bland and watered-down. There are too many other great choices to over-pay for poor quality food. Just say'n. :(
(1)Happy C.
Service is HORRIBLE: I was seated by an indifferent hostess and then ignored completely by waitstaff that walked back and forth past my table about 6 times. I walked out after waiting 10 minutes for someone to approach my table. Did I mention there were only 3 other customers in the entire restaurant? I won't be back.
(1)Joe J.
The food and service here were both average. I will usually go for steak fajitas at new Mexican restaurants. I wasn't very impressed with the fajitas here. They cooked the typical green pepper/onion accompanying veggies too long. They were pathetically limp and had been sauced up and cooked so long that they were nearly the same color!! Green peppers are.... green..... and onions are a light whitish pinky/purple. Both of them were a dark brownish WAY over carmelized color. Bleh! The salsa was good with the tortilla chips and I usually am picky about them. Thumbs up there. Unfortunately, the best part of the meal was my beer. Guess its hard to mess that up. An average eatery with a fairly decent atmosphere. Not that wonderful.
(3)Teresa L.
Good service, great lunch specials, and very good food. The prices were a bit high, though, so I'd probably go back for lunch if anything. They had the most extensive shrimp section that I've ever seen on a Mexican menu before.... and some of them looked awesome! Bacon-wrapped and stuffed with cheese? Yes please!
(4)Kat A.
Tacos al carbon, chicken quesadillas, burritos, tamales...between four of us, we ate a stupid amount of food last night. Add to the feasting some horchata, a couple glasses of Fanta, two baskets of chips and about a half gallon of salsa, and daaaaaaaaamn. I was leery of the place - not too sure why. The service was spectacular, and my husband was over the moon that we opted to celebrate his birthday here. Their dishes have heat. I'm a spice wuss when it comes to Mexican food, so my steak tacos and the green mystery peppers threatened to do me in (which would probably be considered medium spice at most by others), but the meal was really good - and I loved the carmelized onions. Furthermore: holy crap, tons of food. I have at least two more meals to go. As it was the husband's birthday, the celebration wrapped up with some cheesecake loaded with whipped cream. The prices were a little higher than I'm used to for Mexican food, but the guys I dined with couldn't say enough good things about the place. I have no doubt it will become a staple for my husband who worships at the Mexican food alter.
(4)Dani A.
Not only does this place have great food but the service was also fantastic. I ended up going twice in a row and would most definitely recommend this place to friends! I also plan on going back several more times!
(5)Mikhal E.
I ordered the steak fajitas and they were fantastic. The meat was high quality and the veggies were cooked perfectly. We ordered a couple of drinks, the guacamole dip, the steak fajitas, and the chicken fajitas; and the total was only about $55. I'd say that's pretty reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food we got. I'd give them 5 stars, but our first waitress was rude. The waitress that took over for her was great though, extremely friendly and helpful.
(4)Sarah W.
The food here is somewhat inconsistent, but we always receive good service and end up leaving satisfied. Sometimes the food seems much spicier than others and on one occasion, the meat was very underseasoned. However, typically the food is good and flavorful and the drinks are delicious! Their margaritas are huge, yummy, and reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol you receive. Also, the staff has always been friendly and very accomodating, so overall, this place is great when you are craving some good Mexican-American cuisine accompanied by a giant margarita.
(4)Wesley Z.
The food tasted great. I had a Chimichanga and the chicken was well done. The salsa was also pretty good with decent chips. The staff was friendly although they did forget about my salsa and chips for a while.
(4)Larry P.
With so many mexican resturants in town, this one is okay. There are much better ones. The staff is good. The food is not that great. Like a glorified Taco Bell. Not much flavor. Do yourself a favor and go to a better place.
(2)Krista S.
Their parking lot is ALWAYS full so of course I HAD to check it out. =) I had a combination type thing since it was my first time there, the enchilada was eh...the taco was eh...but the chile rellano OMG it was FANTASTIC!!! It puts 3 margaritas rellanos to shame!!! Basically their food is eh...except for the rellanos, so if you don't like rellanos I would go somewhere else.
(3)Mark B.
I don't know how anybody could give this place less than three stars. I have been to this location almost a half dozen times and at least that many more to the golden and south Wadsworth locations. Every time I get friendly and attentive service and good food. They don't play the music too loud, they put what I want on tv, and the crowd is always the same. Some people knock the chain aspect of this brand but rest assured that they are a Colorado company and you can visit their original location next to the belmar shopping center anytime you like. Others also seem to knock on the lack of "wow" factor in the cuisine. This is the only reason why I give this restaurant four stars. This isn't a place for your anniversary dinner, it's a place for your "I don't wanna cook tonight" dinner. The food is always good and that is one of the several reasons that I continue to come back to this establishment.
(4)Scot P.
Tucked between a carpet and tile store and The Country Buffet is this little jem. Actually several little gems along the front range. Although the decor and atmosphere is very much like a Chilis the service is fantastic and the food even better. Plus, Mexican on St Patricks day is fun and deviant. The Carna Asada was juicy with a brave little bowl of it's own sauce and the rest well, you'll have to find out for yourself. It was good enough for a second try and I'll update my review after that.
(3)Vanessa B.
My husband and I are Mexican aficionados, and our children are becoming so. We like this place a lot, all four of us. The kids menu is great, they have handled our gluten free requests really easily, prices are good and service is fine. Husband and I always order seafood, for what it's worth. We have never tried any of the cheese smothered combos so I can't speak to those. We have a family member who is Mexican (from Mexico, not just of Mexican descent, so a good judge of Mexican food) and we brought him to the Lakewood location and he too was a fan of El Tapatio, for whatever that is worth. He too ordered seafood.
(4)Linda B.
I went to this restaurant this past weekend with a party of 10 (5 kids, 5 adults), and although the food and service were supposedly fine, we were lied to by the servers and overcharged without our consent. Since the bill was to be split between 3 people, we had all cash except one credit card. The server came back and informed us that their credit card system was "out of service", so we ended up paying in cash. As we looked at our bank account, our credit card was charged, and to top it off, it was charged more than what should have been owed. Regardless of food, a business should not try to cheat and lie to their customers. I do not recommend this restaurant, and I ask anyone who goes, to make sure they check their financials.
(1)Carlos M.
I want to give this place 4 stars but I just can't do it. This place is ok for the most part the wife and I go there every so often and its usually pretty good and service is usually fast.(although last night they were really slow and it wasn't even busy.) The chips and salsa are good and the guacamole is yummy too. I will say this I think they have the best ceviche de pescado around. That is pretty much the only thing I order when I go,its that good! I have had a couple of other things and they're ok. The wife usually orders a combo plate and is full and happy when she's done eating so I guess that's a good thing.The wife always orders a strawberry margarita too and they are huge and strong. So that's another plus for the place. So all in all its an ok joint for Mexican food with for the most part good and fast service. Its nothing special and will curb your appetite for Mexican, of course there are better in my opinion,but I hate reading reviews when people say "go to blah blah's a couple blocks up the street they are way better...."
(3)Stefanie C.
Finding decent Mexican food in Denver is harder than you might think. I'm not saying that El Tapatio has aced that field, but they do fairly well. I've been several times and prefer it over the Arvada/Westminster Three Margaritas (don't get me started). Service is great, food is hot and to the table in a flash...and it's even quite tasty. BUT, I have noticed they are pretty heavy handed with the salt. Now, I'm a salt girl myself, but they even have me reaching for the water. That being said, I am happy they are one of the few places that offers chicharones (pork rinds) burritos AND if they do charge extra, its less than a dollar; unlike other places ($3+). It's definitely one of my Go Tos, but I just gotta remember to take off my rings at bed that night!
(4)Tiara Q.
We were expecting an average time based on the other reviews but everything here is excellent. The salsa was fresh, a little spicy, lots of cilantro. We ordered the shrimp rellanos and they were amazing. The shrimp were huge, filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon. Neither of us could finish the plate since the portion was so large. The mojito and margs were on point too. The service was immaculate. Can't believe the place was empty! Will definitely return. Would have given 5 stars if the beans weren't so salty, the rice was Spanish style and they took down the old bennigans decor.
(4)A R.
Don't waste your time on this salty mess that they call Mexican food. The only saving grace were the chips, salsa and margaritas...in that order. If you do like salt licks then by all mean go for it but if not then spend your time and money elsewhere.
(1)Aspen B.
Love the food, best Mexican I've ever had! Everything that I have ever ordered has been great. This is the best location of the four and whenever I am in town I make sure to stop in for my Mexican food fix!
(5)Emily V.
I dig this place. The servers are nice, the food is decent, the atmosphere is comfy (kind of feels like an Applebee's). A tad too pricey for what you get, but not by much. The medium margarita is massive, but the taste is nothing to write home about. The ceviche is freaking delicious, although really spicy. But I'm sure that next time I can ask them to lay off the jalapenos a bit.
(3)Michelle G.
SO................The old Benningans next to the gas station had someone new moving in. I was excited it seemed to be a small business so I vowed to visit as soon as it opened. I did. My boo ordered the ceviche de pescado and I had the enchilada suizas. The ceviche was top notch don't tell my uncle but it was better than his. (head flinching from the smack I would normally feel if I made this comment.) Drinks were never empty and everyone made sure we were enjoying the evening. The enchiladas were good, plate was huge and I took half home to add scrambled eggs to the next morning. Went back 2 days later for breakfast. Boo had the ceviche again (still amazing with warm tostadas mmmm.) I had enchiladas again just cheese this time with scrambled eggs a personal favorite. These enchiladas weren't as good but decent. I prefer white cheese. Again amazing service. Went back last night (yes, yes I know that's three times in one week). But dang that ceviche has a hold on me! We started with that boo had the taquiza de tacos y yo carne asada with tortillas de maiz. Again delicious!!!! We will be back I know that for sure. Sometimes a Mexican needs a night off from cooking the normal. Amazing service--the waiter remembered us :D Oh yea and after reading the menu I found out they had 3 other locations, ha ha not such a small business. Oh well amazing service and food makes it special enough!
(4)Jenna A.
Holy moly, I know Mexican restaurants have big menus but this was insane. So many choices and variations, I just had to pick something I know would be good. I ordered the chicken fajitas and my man got the chicken chimichanga. I'm not always a huge fan of Mexican food but this place was really good. We left not feeling too full because we opted against an appetizer which would have been completely unnecessary after we saw the entree servings! The fajita order was enormous and full of onions, red, green and orange bell peppers. I ate three tortillas full, boyfriend had one and I still had enough for a big lunch the next day. They even gave me more tortillas to go. My man inhaled his chimichanga, the sauce that smothered it was really tasty. Chips were warm and the salsa was spicy and we poured it in our entrees. Good prices, amazing service. They were all dressed in black and white and were extremely attentive. I would definitely come back again when we're in the area.
(4)John A.
Just stay away! I don't have a single positive thing to say about this place. Is there a Colorado board of health?
(1)Kelly J.
The food here is very good. However the service is just god awful, just absolutely incompetent. 3 times I have gotten take out, 3 times my order has been missing stuff. I've had them hang up on me when calling, called ordered waited 20 minutes before going in only to arrive to find my order hasn't been entered into their system yet. It's just not worth the hassle. I won't be going back.
(1)Linda V.
This restaurant opened recently in a former Bennigan's. The menu is what you'd expect from a Mexi place. Service is great. You can't go wrong with their seafood dishes. For a healthier Mexi option, get the Camarones Mojo de Ajo. It comes w/white rice and fresh avacodo slices and tortillas. Delicious, very flavorful. We've never had bad service here. Hubby loves the pork chops. Their mole sauce is one of the best we've had in the Denver area.
(3)Heidi B.
Get the carnitas plate....it is the best I have ever had and I'm from San Diego! The enchiladas were ok but the margaritas are HUGE!
(4)Jorge O.
Bad service!, Horrible food! When we got our food it was cold! The ladies there thought we didn't speak Spanish and when we returned the cold food they got mad and started talking crap about us! We didn't even wait to get another plate because of that, we didn't trust if they would do something to our food. They have an attitude like they don't need customers, i would not recommend it to friends, family or anyone.
(1)Scott P.
I really liked this place. We had the pork fajitas, they were GREAT. Tons of food, perfectly cooked veggies (many over cook them), great flavoring and a good price. I asked for extra tortillas, they brought a bunch and didn't charge us for them. The beer price was pretty average, but they did have a large selection. The chips and salsa was good, no the best I have had. It is our new place to get Mexican food. Try it, you will like it.
(4)Rebecca B.
The Banana-Orange Margarita deserves 5 Stars...everything else was- "Meh". My friend and I stopped in here late one evening. We were seated and waited a bit for our waitress to arrive. When she did, we asked her what kind of flavored margarita's they had. She listed a few and seemed a bit flustered, ( I think there was a language barrier). She then said she'd be "right back." Ten minutes later a gentlemen approached us and took our drink order. Ten minutes after that we got our drinks. By then we were ready to order food but no one came to check on us. There were three servers talking to each other at the bar and another three servers talking to each other in the front. We flagged down the first waitress who told us again, "I'll be right back." A few minutes later the gentlemen returned and took our order. The same waiting game occurred when waiting for the to-go boxes and for the check. The whole time there was maybe 5 or 6 other customers in the whole place and the staff continued to sit around, chatting. I was annoyed and my burrito was not worth waiting around for. My friend enjoyed her combo platter (#10, I think), but the lack of service just killed the mood. I felt guilty for only leaving a $3 tip, but what can I say? At least they got something for sitting around. To give them some credit, the prices were actually pretty reasonable and if you like really spicy salsa with too much cilantro- this place is a good pick. Maybe when they are busier they are more on their game...
(2)