The Best Mexican Restaurants in Denver
A popular website that lists the best restaurants from cities all across America, www.citysearch.com, listed the top ten audience favorites for 2002 and the top five editorial winners.
The readers the website chose Hacienda Colorado, 5056 South Wadsworth, Littleton, a suburb of Denver, as the best Mexican restaurant for the year. The restaurant is known for its adobe architecture and Colorado-style Mexican cuisine smothered in seven choice sauces. The menu includes enchiladas, chili rellenos, vegetable fajitas, Admiral Guzman’s shrimp enchiladas, shrimp over a bed of rice, the Jamie platter, and the Hacienda swirl.
The hours are Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant accepts major credit cards.
Readers who reviewed the restaurant say there is prompt seating, but reservations are recommended. The restaurant is safe for children.
The second most popular Mexican restaurant in 2002 among readers who voted was Benny’s Restaurante y Tequila Bar at 301 East Seventh Avenue. The festive restaurant is a popular spot for casual dates or family dining. There is always a crowd, but the food arrives fast-sometimes within five minutes. According to the website, the food is good, comes in large portions, and is not that expensive. Besides supper, breakfast and lunch are served, and there is a full take out menu.
Menu items listed on the restaurant’s official website include: beef enchiladas; cheese enchiladas; a Crispy Relleno; a Chicken Crispy Relleno; a variety of burritos, including, bean, beef, shredded chicken, chicharrones, barbacoa (barbecued beef), and carnitas and beans; tamales; tostadas, including bean, guacamole, ground beef, shredded chicken or carnitas; a variety of salads, including Taco Salad; a variety of hard and soft shell tacos; a steak dinner; a chicken dinner; a hamburger; a cheeseburger; and a variety of rellenos, including cheese, crispy sirloin or chicken, ground beef, shredded chicken or carnitas, and barbacoa.
Dessert includes fried ice cream, cheesecake, and sopapillas. There are a variety of breakfast items, including breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, steak and eggs, and chorizo (a Mexican sausage) con huevos.
According to those who reviewed the restaurant there is prompt seating, and reservations are not required. The restaurant is good for groups and children.
The restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Major credit cards are accepted.
The third choice for readers who love the food at Mexican restaurants was Qdoba Mexican Grill at 1533 Market Street.
The restaurant is known for its giant burritos. The Jolly Green Burrito, which includes grilled chicken, with green pesto made with poblano chilies, fresh cilantro, and pine nuts, is the favorite of all. Barbacoa, with shredded barbecued beef is also tasty. Chicken Mole is also available. All the burritos have cilantro rice. Customers choose black or pinto beans, cheese or sour cream, and a salsa-mild, corn, medium, hot, or extra hot. Sides include extra anything, salads, and guacamole.
Reviewers said seating is prompt, and reservations are not required. The restaurant is good for groups and children.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. The restaurant accepts major credit cards.
According to the editorial staff the best Mexican restaurant in Denver was Taqueria Patzcuaro, at 2616 West 32nd Avenue.
The walls of the restaurant are lined with pictures of famous revolutionaries. Seating is prompt, and reservations are not required. The restaurant is good for children.
The meals start with complimentary chips with salsa that has cilantro and citrus. The menu includes enchiladas, the chuletas a la Mexicana, which has two pork chops, in a spicy sauce full of potatoes, tomatoes, and jalapenos; tacos carbon, which has well seasoned steak strips, and chili rellenos.
The website www.cityguide.aol chose Benny’s, which has already been described, as the best Mexican Restaurant in Denver. Benny’s was also listed on the website www.10best.com. Casa Bonita at 6715 West Colfax Avenue was also listed.
The restaurant is family friendly and a good place for children. Children will love seeing the statue of an Aztec emperor outside, as well as an 85 foot pink tower, topped with a golden dome. In addition, cliff divers, strolling mariachis, flame jugglers, and arcade games will provide plenty to do and see for children and their parents.
Meals include tacos, burritos, a nacho salad and sopapillas. The average main course price is $10. Major credit cards are accepted. Everyone who comes in the door must buy a meal. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
There are far too many good Mexican restaurants in Denver to list all of the best. Readers may have a list that this article did not include, but Mexican food lovers in Denver will not have trouble finding a good place to eat.
