I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)
John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)
Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)
Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)
whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)
Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)
Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)
Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)
Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)
Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)
Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)
Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)
Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)
Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)
David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)
Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)
Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)
Courtney V.
I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)
John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)
Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)
Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)
Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)
Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)
Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)
Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)
Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
(4)
marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)
Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)
Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)
Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)
Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)
Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)
Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)
Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)
Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)
Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)
Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)
LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)
Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)
Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)
Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)
Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)
Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)
Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)
Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)
Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)
Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)
Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)
Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)
Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)
Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)
Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)
Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)
Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)
Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)
Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)
Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)
Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)
Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)
Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)
Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)
Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)
Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)
Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)
Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)
Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)
whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)
Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)
Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)
Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)
Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)
Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)
Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)
Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)
Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)
Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)
Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)
Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)
David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)
Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)
Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)
Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)
Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)
Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
(4)
marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)
Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)
Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)
Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)
Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)
Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)
Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)
Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)
Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)
Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)
Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)
Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)
LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)
Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)
Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)
Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)
Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)
Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)
Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)
Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)
Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)
Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)
Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)
Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)
Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)
Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)
Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)
Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)
Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)
Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)
Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)
Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)
Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)
Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)
Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)
Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)
bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)
Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)
Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)
Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)
Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)
Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)
bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)
Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)
Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)
Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)
Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)
Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)
David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)
Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)
Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)
Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)
Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)
Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)
Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)
LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)
Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)
Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)
Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)
Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)
Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)
Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)
Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)
Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)
Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)
Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)
Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)
Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)
bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)
Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)
Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)
Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)
Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)
Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)
Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)
Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)
Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)
Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)
Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)
Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)
Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)
Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)
Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)
Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)
Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)
Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)
Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)
Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)
Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)
Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)
Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)
Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)
Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)
Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)
whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)
marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)
Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)
Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)
Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)
Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)
Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)
Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)
Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)
Courtney V.
I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)
John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)
Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)
Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)
Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)
Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)
Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)
Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)
Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)
Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)
Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)
Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)
Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)
Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
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 Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Courtney V.
I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)Courtney V.
I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
(4)marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
(4)Ginny M.
I live very close to tafalinos, and have issues the few times I've been. But this last time convinced me that they don't care about customers. First off, the food has ALWAYS been cold. Green chili is good, but not enough on the burrito to talk about. Secondly, they have a coupon for half off entrée, so I decided to go and use it.....they said that the Mexican hamburger was NOT considered an entrée. It was $.25 less than the combo meal??? Say what? Cheating me again, I will NOT go back!
(1)Ben W.
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)Click S.
Decent, quick, inexpensive... what it's always been.
(4)Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
(4)marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
(4)Ginny M.
I live very close to tafalinos, and have issues the few times I've been. But this last time convinced me that they don't care about customers. First off, the food has ALWAYS been cold. Green chili is good, but not enough on the burrito to talk about. Secondly, they have a coupon for half off entrée, so I decided to go and use it.....they said that the Mexican hamburger was NOT considered an entrée. It was $.25 less than the combo meal??? Say what? Cheating me again, I will NOT go back!
(1)Ben W.
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)Don B.
We've gone to Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two since they opened. The food is the same, and the main store definitely has more ambiance but is also noisier and more crowded. Two is a nice option when you phone in an order for takeout or if you want quiet and really don't want to deal with a crowd. Having eaten at these restaurants literally dozens of times through the years, I can tell you that they are consistently a 3.5 stars. Since Yelp doesn't let me give fractions of stars, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars based on their longevity and consistency through the years. Tafolino's is definitely Tex-Mex - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili rellenos, refried beans, spanish rice, etc. The flavors aren't creative or nuanced - just Tex-Mex, but good Tex-Mex. Servers aren't effusive but are polite and efficient, portions are large and prices are reasonable - you get good value for your dollar. A few items that do stand out in my opinion are the salsa (homemade, fresh, variably hot from visit to visit but definitely can be hot), guacamole tostada (the most generous portion of guacamole of any I've ordered) and both the red and green chili (both, like the salsa, are variably hot from visit to visit but always have great flavor). Bottom line is that if you're hungry for traditional Tex-Mex dishes and combination plates, you're likely to enjoy Tafolino's and Tafolino's Two. If you leave disappointed it's probably because you expect it to be something it isn't - something "more sophisticated" than straightforward Tex-Mex.
(4)Tom W.
This is by far our family favorite place to eat. Always great service and all the wait staff treat you like family. The burrito Pablano is the bomb. We eat here about every two weeks. Good food at very affordable prices.
(5)David Z.
This is a must stop every time I visit my parents. Living in Texas, I'm surrounded by get TexMex Mexican food, but this place does it up right too with their Southwest style. I recommend anything smothered in their green chile, especially the Burrito Poblano. Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but never disappointed in their food.
(5)Gabb O.
Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. They play good oldies music. I will be going back here soon. You should definitely try it at some time.
(5)Jessica L.
I came here because I had a living social coupon. The chips were really good. I had the combo plate with cheese and onion enchilada, chile relleno (crispy), bean burrito, and beef tamale. The chile relleno was really good but the others were Alright. Kinda salty. They barely Gave any lettuce and tomatoes so I paid $0.75 for a small side of iceberg lettuce. The server was impatient with us on taking our order and it seemed like the other employees were refilling our drinks. Overall food was decent and I'd prob come back for the chips and salsa and chile relleno. The green chile was pretty good too.
(4)Andrea S.
Tried Tafalinos for the the first time today...OMG. A couple co workers came in for lunch after hearing about it and needless to say we were impressed. We walked in and were seated right away. That doesn't normally happen when you have a party of 6. After we figured out what to order the food came maybe 6 or 7 minutes later; so quick! In the mean time we got chips and salsa. The food was amazing!! The green chili, to die for. The staff is very sweet. I ordered the Pablano burrito and it was fantastic. Can't wait to come back after work and order a margarita!
(5)Christopher C.
I thought long and hard about this, but I have to say that Tafolino's easily cracks the top 3 WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. I would place it somewhere just ahead of the dumpster behind Taco Bell. I will start with the one bright spot: chips & salsa. These were thick cut chips and pretty decent homemade salsa with a nicely balanced flavor. I suppose I can't complain about the margaritas either. HOWEVER... Everything else was horrid. The servers were slow and inattentive. The layout of the restaurant is crowded and awkward. The booths and tables are in awful condition. And that's before we even get to the food... The Chile con "Queso" didn't taste like it included anything remotely resembling actual cheese - thus the quotes around "Queso" - but was something closer to a mix between drywall spackling and axle grease with come green chiles and "red things" mixed in. Awful... The Carne Asovada had the consistency of tofu. I question whether there was any actual pork in it or only chunks of reprocessed meat. Whatever it was, the blackening was SO HEAVY that I could taste nothing else. The onions were flavorless and the sauce was about 99% flour and water. The ground beef in my wife's combination meal might as well have been ground cardboard, the guacamole tasted like vinegar, and the whole thing was covered with 47 cups of canned enchilada sauce and served at just slightly above room temperature. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Tafolino's "fine" Mexican...
(1)Chad P.
We visit this place a bunch for lunch and lunch meetings. Good chips and salsa, quick service, clean place, friendly staff. Get the burrito poblano with chicken smothered in green chile. So good, sometimes HOT!
(4)Jeanne J.
In my never ending search for the best crispy chili rellenos in the metro area I was taken here to a strip mall and what did I find you ask... Well I found some very yummy rellenos. When I first walked in this very nice lady showed me to my table and ask what I wanted to drink before I had even sit down which I thought was very nice. They brought out some chips and salsa. The chips looked as though they were made in house. Very thick and warm and oh so great :) I just ordered a single relleno with green chili and it was very good :) As I looked around I noticed that everyone was eating everything in front of them which is always a good sign. The servers were very nice and on top of everything. I will for sure be back to try other things :) Thanks so much for a great lunch!!
(4)Ginny M.
I live very close to tafalinos, and have issues the few times I've been. But this last time convinced me that they don't care about customers. First off, the food has ALWAYS been cold. Green chili is good, but not enough on the burrito to talk about. Secondly, they have a coupon for half off entrée, so I decided to go and use it.....they said that the Mexican hamburger was NOT considered an entrée. It was $.25 less than the combo meal??? Say what? Cheating me again, I will NOT go back!
(1)Ben W.
Yo...they claimed they had 4 cooks quit the day we walked in...after they stalled us for an hour and a half to bring out food a 3 year old could have done a better job of cooking
(1)LaVerne B.
Have dined at this place many of times., usually good ! Tonight NOT! Mother's Day , after working 12 hrs, their service was not there ! Food was not hot ! I ordered a over easy egg on top of my enchiladas and it was so cold it didn't even run . (I Didn't eat it) ! A good waiter would have noticed ! What's wrong ? Can I get you something else ?I I guess you have to come back to check to see if it's ok to know. Two women at our table wanted to share a plate , ( both have been here a few times ) had to send back side plate twice because of dirty plates! We Ordered a deluxe sopapillas desert, while we ordered ToGo plates , Slow service , dirty plates , cold food ! Don't think we will be back ! I Feel bad for my son who paid for My Mothers day Dinner And me who didn't eat dinner !
(2)Nancy C.
We received a coupon in the mail and it stated they wanted people to come in and give Tafolino's another try after some changes. I am not sure what changes they have made! The food is a good product but this place needs a major overhaul. The loud music was not a compliment to dining and even the lady in the booth behind me complained but nothing was done. They could save money on their electric bill by cutting back on the AC, one customer had a parka on, I was freezing. The carpet needs to be replaced as it is filthy which makes me wonder about the kitchen. Will not be going back.
(2)Nichole V.
Giving the place 2 stars because Jose is an awesome server and always on point. However. ..Their food is far from authentic mexican! I'm sorry but I don't know any Mexicans that use ketchup in place of tomato juice for the cocktail de cammarron. Also they order in cheap taco and tostada shells which 2 times in a month I got stale. I also get freaked out because the chips are left out overnight and the salsa is poured in from a large container that sits out and doesn't taste fresh..EVER! This place used to be excellent 5 years ago, now it seems as though the only clientele they have are regulars and mainly people that don't know what a good mexican dish tastes like to compare. This place needs a renovation, new management, and someone that can cook!
(2)Kimberly A.
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever! We came on a Monday night around 6 pm. We were seated right away and recieved chips and salsa immediately. That's were the "service" ended. Our drink guy stopped and took out drink orders. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Then we began to notice all the ravenous, thirsty people around us. Wait a second, every table had either no beverages, empty beverages and or empty chip baskets. Nobody had food. The poor lady behind us was rudely asked what she wanted to drink as the waiter grabbed a high chair and walked away. He didn't even bother to listen to her or even ask her husband what he would like. Finally we got our drinks. By this time we had been waiting 20 minutes. Then our waiter came over took out order and disappeared. Then we waited some more, and more, and more. Finally we had enough. We told the waiter to forget it. We could wait no longer. That's when miracle of miracles happened. That was when people started getting food. I was glad the poor family that had been waiting with a hungry, cranky toddler finally got their meal. We however didn't get ours. So after a grand total of 1 1/2 hours waiting we said enough. We won't be back!
(1)Ryan D.
We ate here for lunch. I ordered a mexican Coke and it was as expected, cold and satisfying. The chips and salsa was below par, the chips were crunchy but lacking flavor. maybe not bad but not good. The salsa was average but a bit bland. I also had the combo plate 2 A. The taco was ok, the ingredients were all fairly fresh as expected but the taco beef was bland and not very good. The shell for the taco and tostada was good and crispy but the flavor was a bit off. The chile relleno was very bland as well and was not crispy event tho I ordered crispy. I don't know what else to say, maybe this was an off day or maybe its just me, I'll consider giving this place another try some day but not anytime soon. The best part about this place was the service, very attentive and courteous. A 5 star for service. Sorry, I just didn't find the food very pleasing.
(2)Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)Brandon B.
Good stuffed sopapilla with ground beef, refried beans, and red chili.I give three stars because I found a little fat in the red chili, it still had a good flavor, I'm just very picky when I comes to meat. Tofolinos is close to my job was packed on a Wednesday during lunch time. I walked in ordered and was out in less then 10 minutes. Great place for a quick lunch. I'm excited to try some if their other menu items next time.
(3)Shelby S.
Borderline obsessed with this place... I live 2 hours away and come down here about once a month and the first thing I always ask is "Can we go to Taf's?!". I will admit, the atmosphere won't be your favorite thing about this place. They're cooks, not interior designers. Just accept it. Chips and salsa is probably the best I've ever had, but the salsa has been on the spicy side as of late. Not unbearable, but it has a kick. I can't attest to much on the menu since I always order the same thing; it's the #15 on the menu and it's a pork green chili smothered carne asada burrito and it's just amazing. And any comments people are making about the wait staff... It's a family owned place and these people have personality. Be polite to them and they'll be polite to you. It's not rocket science.
(5)Aaron R.
Not too bad but not very flavorful at all and the salsa is watery and pretty boring.
(3)bob h.
Anyone who says this is good food needs to have their taste buds examined. This might be the worst Mexican food in the state. I live near here and I can't tell you how many people I know who have said even worse things about this place. Taco Bell, just down the street is superior to this place. To top it off, the service is beyond horrible. They sat us in a both with a table of 16 so close our elbows touched. We asked to be moved and got the stink eye. Hey, we couldn't even talk to each other it was so loud. They didn't care. Like many people, we start judging a mexican rest. by it Salsa and chips. They are not good folks. food is a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being excellent. Avoooooiiiiiiid at all cost.
(1)Dave R.
This place is really great. The food is very consistent and being a Colorado native, I believe it's how Mexican food should be. Green chili is really good. My wife doesn't like green chili but she is from California. They don't know what green chili is out there so that's understandable. She does however like everything else. So, It really comes down to this. During times like lunch & dinner, if I can find a place that is busy as hell on a consistent basis, they are doing something right. Try Tafo's. They do it right day in and day out. Good sloppy Mexican food. The help are short winded & to the point, but they are often very busy so it's understandable. Do yourself (and us review readers) a favor, if you're self proclaimed picky or high maintenance diner, say home and make your food yourself. Burrito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Elaine S.
I used to work in Lakewood and went to Tafolino's on a weekly basis - great Mexican food that's inexpensive. Just moved to Golden and can't wait to start going again. It's a good lunch time place - not sure about dinner scene. (Pretty picky about Mexican food - grew up in TX so I high expectations.)
(4)Peter P.
very good authentic mexican food, with average service....we've been here a few times and the food is very consistent. Not the greatest chips and salsa, but pretty good.
(4)Adam M.
This please is the best mexican food in town! Been eating there for years and it is always great.
(5)Rick K.
Dirty. Tables that were supposedly cleaned and ready for service were only partially wiped with left over food still on the table, under the table and on the seats. When we asked to have the table swept, I spoke to three people and was ignored. Waited 10 minutes until I finally went to the hostess who finally picked up some of the food on the ground with her hands. By this point just frustrated, my son was grossed out and I was not in the mood to spend my money there. Didn't get to try the food.
(1)Cynthia T.
FOOD: 4.5 SPEED: 4 WELCOME FEELING: 2 DECOR: 3 - We stopped in Thur. June 12, 2014 and ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours to have two bowls of chips and salsa, and our drinks refilled. While there, we saw only two orders delivered, and absolutely NO explanation for the lack of deliveries. Getting tired of waiting, we left money on the table to cover what we consumed and left. We've gone there for approximately 25 years and have rarely had "friendly" service but always went back for the food. Being seriously let down with the last visit, it will be quite a long time before returning.
(3)Jenny C.
Disappointing. We stopped in here for the first time recently. They sat us in the smaller dining area, where the entrance to the kitchen. After we sat down, my husband pointed out the fly catcher strip danging over his head. Ewww. The couple behind me were sat right before us, as we were both given chips and salsa at the same time. Their order was taken about 5-10 minutes before ours (since we weren't ready to order at the same time). We waited a long time for our food. We were hoping our food would come out soon after the table behind me received theirs. We watched as our server came out with plate after plate of food... for other tables. When we finally received our food, it was warm, not hot. I didn't really need to blow on anything before giving it to my ravenous kids. Now, to the food. The chips and salsa were pretty good. The salsa was a bit hot, so the small bowl it came in lasted us all meal. The first glass of coke we received was good. Then the coke they refilled our glasses with (from a pitcher) was flat. I had the #1 combo, smothered. The taco was pretty good, although it got soggy after a while from sitting in the sauce. The bean burrito was pretty good. The cheese enchilada was also good, as my son ate the whole thing. My husband ordered a chimichanga and was surprised they didn't deep fry it to make it crispy. Beware that a semi-small side of guacamole will set you back $4, ouch. It's a thin kind of guacamole that has onions and a lot of tomatoes added to it. The employees here are friendly for the most part. Our server took a long time to bring out the food, and she didn't check back until we were nearly done. Too bad that we needed a plate for my son. In all, we won't be coming back. Such a shame, since we live so close to this family business.
(2)Jeff A.
If you prefer to have your beans and meat to come from a can then you have found your new favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes I have had worse Mexican Food than this place. But honestly... nothing I have ever had from here has ever tasted fresh. The margs are OK, but they aren't anything special either. I think the only reason I am giving this place two stars is because their chips and salsa are actually pretty good and unique. Other than that I honestly don't understand why people go here. Plus Teller's Taproom is right across the street as well.. 20th and Youngfield might as well be a restaurant wasteland.
(2)Uriel A.
I have been eating at Tafolino's since the 1990s. The food is pretty rad. I almost always get the same thing, I think its the number 2. Its enough food for two meals so I save my Burrito for later (like after bar 4th meal. The home made chips and salsa are always kinda hit or miss, they are never bad, just can't tell how hot they are going to be. The staff is really good, they have been there forever and my family has made genuine friends with them. Jose and Jr are great people and servers who exceed the best you can hope for.
(4)Lisa H.
I love Tafolino's....just wishing that I didn't live on the other side of town now. Chip & salsa are great, and food portions are generous. I generally go with one of the combo platters that provide a plethora of choices, but the enchiladas are one of my favorites here. Quick service, good prices & wonderful food, what more can you ask for?
(5)Sarah M.
Wish this place was good. Love the location! The food was mediocre And service was bad!
(3)Toni L.
I feel impatient just thinking about this place. Food: So I admit that the food here is decent. They serve chips at the beginning of the meal with some sort of seasoning that tastes exactly like fritos. Also, it seems that all of the entrees are doused in a thick, savory sauce that tastes sort of like chicken pot pie filling. Both the tamales I ordered ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) and my boo's tacos ( yelp.com/biz_photos/K_d8… ) were simply swimming in the stuff. The textures, tastes, and quantity of food were all excellent, but somehow my meal wasn't satisfying. I think it just looked too nasty to enjoy. Service: This place deserves two stars almost entirely because of their unbelieveably cocky and slow service. People at the table next to us still did not have food when we finished the meal. They must have waited for at least an hour. We repeatedly asked when our food would be out and were told it would be coming soon. I don't know what your definition of soon is, but to me it's certainly not 45 minutes. We also overheard a waitress tell an angry customer that they should deal with the wait because Tafolino's is a very good restaurant and everyone loves them. Ummm how about just hurry up and do your job? Their excuse was that a lot of the staff were out sick, but honestly I was facing the kitchen the whole time and the waiters and waitresses were just standing around for the most part. Atmosphere: It's dark and stuffy in here with perhaps too many chairs and tables crammed in. Also, the bathroom is a nightmare. Beware. Synopsis: This place may have broken the record for how long I've had to wait for food after being seated. The food hardly justifies coming back here.
(2)Emily B.
This is one of my favorite places for green chili but beware, it is spicier than most! They have tasty chips with some seasoning on them as well but it's the green chili that keeps me coming back! The margaritas are nothing special but aren't bad either and they do a great job of cooling off the pallet after the spiciness of the chili!
(4)Camille C.
I love this place. Great food, great service and I can be in and out in 35 minutes if I choose. I did not enjoy the take out from the take out store up the block, it was not the same as the restaurants. So if you are going to go, eat at the restaurant.
(4)Sean S.
This place is hit or miss. The service is always pretty good and the staff is friendly the food on the other hand is a crapshoot. Sometimes it is some of the best mexican I have had and others I need to wash it down with water just to get the taste out of my mouth.
(3)Matt M.
Great tex-mex. my favorite is the shredded beef burrito smothered with lettuce and cheese. Good salsa, decent margs. Never had a problem with parking. We visit monthly an is always constantly good.
(4)Stan D.
This place has been in its present location for years. They recently opened another restaurant across the street, but that one is for take-out only. This venue is definitely sit down. Inside, I liked this place. I liked the decorations, I liked the authentic music, and I liked the atmosphere - kind of a cross between a bar, and an old Mexican restaurant. The servers were friendly and polite, and, generally speaking, the restaurant was acceptably clean in the dining area. When they brought us chips and salsa, I noticed that the chips appear to be homemade. Not a lot of places do that anymore. I also liked the flavor and level of heat of their salsa - suitable for most tastes. What I did not like about the chips and salsa is that the first one if free, but each subsequent order is $3.00. Also, half of the basket of chips were just crumbles, and broken pieces. The homemade fried chips did have a lot of grease in them, and I don't think this place changes the grease very often. Either that, or they are due. When the meals came, I found them to be very standard - rice and beans come with most entrees and dinner plates. The rice was good, but I suspect it was not vegetarian. The beans were all refried despite the pictures of the food on their website showing "whole" beans. There were no whole beans to be had at this venue. I had the cheese and onion enchiladas, but if there were any onions in there, most were very successful either at hiding or making their escape. I believe I tasted only one or two small onion pieces in the whole mix. Again, as with most restaurants these days, they need to do something besides telling us how good they are to set themselves apart. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in town, and this one is not the best of those. It is very journeyman and pedestrian. That was OK years ago when there weren't as many dining establishments, but, in this day and age, you have to go a step further, or you fade away in the crowd. This place is trying to drum up new business, but it seems right now they are surviving on whatever loyal clientele they have. I have 'Living Social' discount coupon that I will use again in a couple of weeks, and report again if things change. I like to visit a restaurant at least twice before passing final judgment.
(3)Jdog U.
The best mexican in golden and fast service.
(5)Sean O.
Good Mexican for the west Denver suburbs area. Not the best in Denver, but definitely the best in this area, if you live nearby and don't want to drive far. Get their enchiladas.
(3)Lynn B.
Okay okay so there are a lot of Mexican place in Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. So what's so great about this place? Everything. The wait staff and the beautiful female owner and her husband run this restaurant in the best fashion. It sure beats Moose Hill up the street on Colfax. I too have been a customer since the 1990's and nothing changed- and that is a good thing, how do you achieve better then yummy? So dont mind the walls- you are there to feast your eyes on your plate. My fav's are" Menudo,. Chile Rellenos, the green chili- when in season is Whoa- Warm :-) so watch out. The beans are good and not too salty. When my mom comes to town- she almost always gets the beef fajita's with a side of green chili (dont really get that, but its okay). PS I always leave with a dozen of handmade tamales. yums) Hint- There is ample parking albeit if you miss the first turn in- turn at the light.
(5)Mikayla H.
Trust me. #15, steak, green, side of sour cream. You're welcome : )
(4)Thad S.
If you love everything smothered in green chili, this is the place for you. Always busy, but always fast. I have liked everything on the menu, but usually try to order a combo that includes a chili relleno. Not a place your going to go to for happy hour or Margaritas, although they have them. More of a family place.
(4)Teresa L.
Good stuff! Crazy busy at lunchtime, but they got people in and out FAST. We came right at 12, were seated right away, and were out by 12:45. Our server was a little creepy but he had a ton of tables (I think he had about a dozen), so he was doing pretty well. Our food was fresh and tasty, but we all ended up feeling funky after our meal. Not food poisoning funky, just too greasy funky. I had the stuffed sopapilla with red and green chilis- both were good. Green chili was close to Chubby's style- that same color, anyway, but was not spicy AT ALL. The meal was also very salty (and I LOVE salt). Previous reviewer noted that this place was "inexpensive." In no universe would I consider this inexpensive. I got a stuffed sopapilla with no rice or beans ($8), but with sour cream and guac my total was over $10! Yikes! That's a little much for lunch.
(3)Lee L.
Every time I go here is when I'm craving a smothered burrito. The green chile is a delight as it's well flavored. I always get the breakfast burrito since most everything else just doesn't taste right. Also tried their house margarita too. It was pretty bland and had nothing going for it. Service was so-so as they dropped by now and then just to check up on water. Though I will say that the prices are definitely a good thing about this place. Otherwise I might go again when the crave hits in a few months.
(3)Dan G.
Not sure where to go in this cute mountain city, I decided to use yelp, which, to mmy amazement did not mention the whole slew of chains or mall restaurants which I had to pass to get here. I am happy with my choice as they were one of the few independent restos in Golden that didn't seem to close at 7pm. Anyway, they have a pretty big menu of just about anything mexican you might want. I got a combo platter, which was a very large portion of delicious food for just under $10. We also got started off with freshly made tortilla chips and delicious home made salsa. I highly recommend Tafolino's if you are in the order and in the mood for Mexican.
(4)Sasha L.
I'm a fan. This is a large place with plenty of seating, lots of booths. My coworkers and I checked this place out last week to get our Mexican cuisine fix. We were brought chips and salsa right away, both of which were delicious. They use flour rather than corn tortilla chips with an amazing seasoning. I had a beef and bean burrito, which was $5 at base price, then extra for sour cream plus lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I wish the cheese was melted on top but it was cold. The green chili they smother everything with is absolutely amazing. My coworkers had the steak and chicken ranchero plates. The sauce was outstanding and it was very spicy! Not a bad value for lunch, we will be back. The food here is authentic and the service is very prompt. They have a pretty good sized menu so I will have to try something new next time.
(4)whitney m.
Had a great meal here! The strip mall location and decor are the only downsides but the product they put out is above average for Mexican food in CO. Great green chili- homemade tortilla chips- flautus and red enchilada sauce. Reasonable price and an enjoyable night out. Highlights were the red and green sauces and the poblano burrito had great flavor.
(4)marites c.
I could tell it's great authentic Mexican food...holy moly was it spicy!! I loved the green chili! So good...I like a little heat in my food but I think that was definitely hitting my heat limit. Staff was great and friendly! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were fantastic!
(4)Mila G.
I was a bit disappointed in this place. We went by to pick up dinner to-go, and once we got home my order was wrong. It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have everything I asked for. The staff was nice, though, and didn't make us wait long for our meals. Lots of extras that come with the meal.
(3)Jackie F.
Alright, look, I'm sure that this place is fine for most carnivores. The servers were friendly, the meatatarian dishes looked fine I suppose, and there seemed to be several regulars in the place. Yada, yada, yada. This is where the good news ends if you're a vegan or a vegetarian. I first asked about vegetarian beans. Now for me, the veg beans are a staple when I go out for Mexican. "No problemo," they replied! "Great! Can I get vegetarian fajitas with the veg beans on the side?" They might as well have replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not lose our minds!" They looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. Anyway, after some discussion, they agreed they could do it. That is, make the dish exactly as they would, but leave off the chicken or beef. Terrific! Except, when it arrived, the dish had bits of steak mixed in. Of course I discovered this half-way through my meal. Perfect. Now why would I ask about veg beans, and specifically request veg fajitas if I was okay with bits of beef in my dish? I know I'm ranting a bit. It's just that this is one of the most frustrating things for us vegetarians. I just will never understand why it has to be so hard. Needless to say, I will not be back to this place.
(2)Jenyfer K.
My favorite Mexican restaurant! I drive from aurora just to enjoy the amazing chips and salsa and the city's best green chile! I even bring all my out of state guests to try it and they have all loved it.
(5)Katie S.
Tafolino's was a staple in my childhood. We used to love going there. I drive past it almost every day when I'm going home from work, but I haven't been in probably 5 years. The other night I decided to take my brother along and try it again. Meh. The service was fine and friendly. I think the staff here makes me want to write them a better review, but it's all about the food. The chips here are really good when you don't get the occasional stale tasting one. I can't explain it any better than that. I think the chips are homemade and they have a dusting of chilli powder on them, which I love. The salsa was pretty standard, and I didn't think I was in love with it until I realized we ate the whole dish of it. I had a margarita and it was fine. Nothing special. As usual I ordered chile rellenos. They. Were. Weird. Instead of a whole chile inside, it was pieces of chopped up green chiles. My brother thought this was awesome. I thought it was fine tasting, but not at all what I wanted. It was like little fried burritos filled with cheese. Not my favorite. I did have a bite of my brother's enchilada and it was pretty good. Their sauce is good. We both loved their beans and thought the green chile was pretty good. I dunno. Is this better than Three Margaritas? Not really. I like that this place is on my way home from work, but I'm not in love by any means.
(3)Megan C.
Whenever I'm back home in Colorado, I'm always on the hunt for some locally-owned Mexican food goodness, and I'm happy that we happened upon Tafolino's on our way through Golden on the way to the High Country (that's actual high elevations on the Western Slope, not some drug reference, BTW). Tafolino's is located in a busy and unassuming strip mall and was positively packed at 5:30 on a Friday evening for our early-bird dinner. Decor was somewhere between divey and homey-casual. We were seated right away, although our booth right by the busser's station should have offered us more condiments/water refills than we actually received. Chips were big and crispy and tasted homemade. Salsa had a gentle kick. Our waiter was an odd duck, and by that, I mean he should probably sharpen his listening skills and his awareness of the menu. I ordered the fish tacos, and made sure to assert that I wanted EXTRA jalapenos. I received NO jalapenos, ever. When the food was dropped off, I asked if I could please have some hot sauce or hot salsa, and he looked at my like I was asking for pickles to dip in peanut butter, like it was the strangest request he had ever received. His response: "I don't know. I will have to check." Well, I received neither the jalapenos nor an answer as to whether or not this Mexican restaurant had hot sauce. That was until we went to the register to pay, and we saw bottles of HOMEMADE habanero hot sauce FOR SALE. Too funny...but not funny enough for 4 stars!
(3)Stephanie M.
I have been coming to Tafolino's all my life. This was probably the first Mexican food I ever ate if you ask me. It's a very nice sized restaurant with plenty of seating. Their food is always good and freshly made. The staff is so friendly and attentive. And did I mention how yummy the food is? They're very accommodating with your order, my papa likes his chimichanga with the sauce on the side and they do it without a problem. If your a burrito fan their smothered burritos (any filling) is delicious. Beef or shredded chicken smothered green burrito is my favorites. Their chile poblano is also really good, their enchiladas are delicious and their tamales are tasty. Not to mention their margaritas are really good and their chips and salsa could fill you up before your food comes if you don't watch yourself. If your passing by and need a bite to eat or if you have never been here I highly HIGHLY recommend coming here. Love Tafolino's
(5)Lily S.
Flautas are still the best of Tafolino's many offerings. Got to try a few more things this time with a group of four. The Queso Fundido is as good as it gets, make sure to ask for their homemade tortilla, they'll serve it warm. I'll bet the same great quality tortilla is used to make the house chips. #25 Camarrones Estillo Fin (jumbo crisp fried shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with smoke bacon) sounded a lot better than it actually is. Still good, but a little too crunchy/hard. If they're grilled instead of fried, perhaps it'll solve the problem. The flavor was pretty good especially with the dipping sauce. I had the hardest time deciding between this or #26 (grilled whole tilapia), maybe next time! #14 Pablos Plato (beef taco and a smothered chile relleno) would not be something I'll order again. It's not awful but Tafolino's other dishes are better. I just don't prefer hard shelled chile rellenos because you can't taste the poblano. If you like their house chips, you'll like the taco shell. We also got a tamale a la cart, not smothered, and it was a nice break from all the spiciness from the other dishes. Beans and rice and green chile were all good as usual. Service was fast and smooth. It felt like they've got a good operation here.
(4)Courtney V.
I am so very disappointed. I have eaten here several times, and usually the food is really good. Today, for my lunch break, I ordered takeout. I won't be doing that again. I ordered the enchilada plate with one cheese, and one chicken enchilada, rice and beans, no garnish (I don't like soggy warm lettuce on my food). I also ordered a tamale on the side. I went to pick it up, and $13. Okay, for a good lunch, fine. But still a little pricey. They brought out my order, and there weren't any chips and salsa. I asked about it, and the guy said to go orders don't come with chips and salsa. Weird. I love their chips and salsa so this was upsetting, but I figured I probably had enough food. I was slightly offended at how the guy reacted to my asking about it. When I got back to my office, I opened up my bag, and the first thing I see is lettuce sticking out. Well I order it like this when I dine in, and it's always on there so really no surprise. I could not believe the paltry amount of rice and beans. Very disappointing. My enchiladas weren't nearly as good as normal. Usually when I dine in, I can't make it through but about half of my entree. I had ordered the tamale for an afternoon snack. Well, not much food, so no leftovers. Then, I tried to eat the tamale, but it was practically all masa and no meat. I'm just really sad that I used to really look forward to bringing friends and coworkers here. I don't think I will be ordering takeout again. One day I might try to dine in again just to see, but I will stick with my regular lunch spots.
(2)John B.
Thanks for the reply. Please tell me what happened to Jose? I have been told He is coming back? Also have been told your main chef and many prep cooks left all around 6 months ago. All this coincides with my bad experiences in the Last 6 months. I would love to hear acknowledgement that things went awry and definitive steps are underway. Many of us tafolino lovers are waiting. The truth is the path to getting us back!
(2)Andrea D.
It was a cold snowy evening so we decided to head over to Tafalinos which is right down the street and pretty good as I had eaten here a few months before. What followed, after ingesting a combo plate, was the worst case of food poisoning of my life. I was so so so so sick. At one point I was so severely dehydrated that my hands went numb and my boyfriend contemplated calling an ambulance. It was very scary. Its been a few weeks and my stomach is still not completely right. OK so what did I do? Well, I called the manager and he was completely rude and annoyed by my call. He didn't apologize and denied it was the food. According to him I had the flu. "But the thing is," I explained to a man not wanting to hear what i was telling him, "I never had a fever." I just couldn't hold any liquids in my body for two whole days. I spoke to a nurse who said it sounded like severe food poisoning. I don't know what he thought. I don't think he meant to give me food poisoning. But his reaction and lack of concern for the citizens in the community he relies on to keep him in business was disturbing and why I will do all I can to urge anyone reading this not to eat at Tafalinos. The fact that they can make someone so sick and not even show any concern, remorse, or even the slightest bit of acknowledgment is alarming.
(1)Manuel S.
First time here and I enjoyed it. The chips and shells are made in-house, yum. The green chilli was very good, almost as good as Mom's. I will be back for sure
(4)Scott W.
So, here's an example of my dad's sense of humor. Dad and I walk in Tafolino's and the host asks, "party of two?" Dad says, "no there are 30 of us; the others aren't here yet." That's it. That's the joke. Then dad says, "no, it's just us." HILARIOUS. Anyway, the host mirthlessly grabs a couple of menus and my dad says to me (loudly--this is after a few bourbons at home), "boy he used to have a great sense of humor." We sit down and I say, "well this place looks good." And dad says (loudly again), "well the food's good but the waiters are *ssholes." And we're off to the races, with dad calling the staff *ssholes half a dozen times and the staff alternately glaring at or ignoring us. Mind you, my dad comes here about every six weeks. Overall, the food was good. Service really wasn't all that great--even despite dad's jabs. Atmosphere was good. Divey Mexican, which is my favorite kind. Oh, I did think it was funny that when I asked what kind of tequilas they had for my margarita, the waiter said, "we're out of tequila. But we have this house margarita which is good." I had that. And it was good. Helped me keep my roll-with-the-punches attitude. Ay carumba!
(3)Jennie H.
Great Mexican food. We've been customers for 20 years and it's the same wait staff as it always has been. They are so nice, the food is good and fairly priced. The homemade chips and the green chile are crave-worthy.
(4)Me E.
What a disaster. Saturday night expected a wait for 6. Waited 15 minutes to be seated which was fine but almost 2 freakin hours to be served. Not one word from our waiter as to why. Couldn't get water refills drinks long gone. Finally got our food and it was all cold my quac and chips plate was brown from sitting out for who knows how long. Their excuse was that they ran out of food. Sister ordered crispy chile rellenos they were cold inside she asked for hot ones. She was served the same plate microwaved and now soggy no rice and cold beans. Never again we tried it for a second time because 10 years ago we had a miserable experience so we've been avoiding it. The place was filthy food all over the floor tables sticky and boiling hot. Never again. Don't know how they are still in business. By the way we were one table of many who were very disappointed and very frustrated according to the staff.
(1)Caroline E.
Been going here for years! Food is great, huge portions, and good prices. Service is great, and you can even get take out from their second store, Tafolino's Too. Everything is great, but I recommend ordering a heaping plate of chili-cheese fries!
(4)Michael K.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I was hoping that I had found another good place for lunch close to work, but I guess I'll have to keep looking. The host who sat me was happy and very friendly. Thats where the service ended. My server was straight faced, monotoned and frankly couldnt be bothered. If you dont like dealing with the public then you shouldnt be waiting tables. The chips and salsa were thebest part of the meal in my opinion. The salsa was tasty and fresh. The chips were like none I have ever had. I actually thought they were fried flour tortilla chips, but they assured me they were corn. Not the texture I would expect for corn, but very tasty as well. I ordered from the Ala Cart menu and got a Guacamole tostada and a beef & bean burrito. The guacamole was completely overprocessed. It reminded me of green sour cream, it was so smooth. I like my Guac a bit chunky so I can at least see that it was made from avacados. The burrito wasnt half bad, the green chili had lots of pork in it, which is usually a good sign, not in this case. It was very bland and tasted a bit like cream of chicken soup. There was absolutely no heat either. Thats three strikes for me. I judge mexican restaraunts by thier chili, guacamole and heat factor. Tafolino's missed the mark on all three swings. I guess I'll just keep searching for the perfect lunch location. I saw a place across the street, "Jimmys Wings", I think I'll try them next. -MK
(2)Lyn K.
I would have given it a 5-star rating for the food and service, but it's Friday night and they were very busy. The food for eight of us came pretty luke warm, except for the fajitas. It took forever to get our food--more than an hour. Even so, their chile verde is awesome, and the food was still flavorful and good. The wait staff is very nice. They were just slammed. I hope they get their larger new restaurant soon.
(4)Jane P.
I liked this place a smidge more than my husband, but that isn't saying much. This place is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly. Entering the place was awkward, no one greeted us (granted they were busy) and we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or not. The place could definitely use an update, it was kinda worn down, and the plastic on the tables was dirty and old. It is certainly not the nicest looking Mexican restaurant in this area. We ordered the chili relenos which I thought were good (husband did not). They were smothered in green chili to the point of losing their crunch. Speaking of the green chili--I thought it was really good, if a little hotter than most local Mexican eateries. The burrito Pablano, recommended by our waitress was pretty meh. Not enough steak, far too many chilis. I definitely wouldn't order that should I come back. Which I won't. All in all, I'm still looking for great Mexican in this part of town.
(2)Jake W.
Wasn't a fan. The service wasn't particularly nice, and the cashier was beyond disinterested. I had the grilled chicken salad, which was grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Not bad but not very good. Prices were ok.
(2)Jimmy B.
I love this place. I have never had bad food here, and I have had everything on the menu. The service is always great. I drink a lot and my cup is always full, without asking. The one thing I alway order is the sopapilla delight for dessert. It is caramel, whipped cream, cheeries and cinnamon, sugar all orver a huge plate of sopapillas. Make sure you have a friend to share it with tho, it is HUGE! If you like mexican food this is the place to go!
(4)Lani P.
So on our way back from keystone I was craving some good o'l mexican food, not resort or the river run area...I checked those out and they were over priced and nothing I wanted...this place was well worth the 45 min drive. My hubs use to come here when he was doing a job in lakewood..lo down: Chips/salsa were delicious..I like how they season their chips..yum.. Tacos el carbon- oh my gosh, soo crispy and moist steak..their beans that come in a bowl were soo delicious by itself with pieces of bacon in them.. Poblano burrito- I ate 1/2 of my hubby's one and it was soo good...he had the chicken and it was juicy & grilled 2 perfection! Appetizer crispy relleno- it was so crispy and cheesy and very satisfying and filling! All in all this place is awesome and so is the service...delicious food and friendly service! Worth it all the way. Oh and ofcourse is affordable for sure.
(4)