This no-frills spot has been dishing out authentic Mexico City-style fare since 1985, featuring tasty tacos and burritos that keep locals coming back.
"There should be a law that any visitor to Denver must eat a green chile-drenched breakfast burrito, and no, it doesn’t need to be for breakfast. These babies fit into our diets morning, noon, and night. We’re so into them that Denver even has an official breakfast burrito day (it’s the second Saturday in October). You’ll see carts slinging these things on downtown corners, but drive past those and stop in at 39-year-old El Taco de Mexico. The menu is full of soul-nourishing Mexican food that includes flautas, tacos, and enchiladas, in addition to burritos. When they ask if you’d like your burrito smothered in green chile, the answer is always yes." - Allyson Reedy
"There should be a written law that any visitor to Denver must eat a green chile-drenched breakfast burrito. We’re so into them that Denver even has an official breakfast burrito day (it’s the second Saturday in October). You’ll see carts slinging these burritos on downtown corners, but drive past those and head straight to 39-year-old El Taco de México. When they ask if you’d like it smothered in green chile, the answer is always yes. Just don’t be confused if it doesn’t come out green: In Colorado, it’s tinted orange, thanks to the addition of tomatoes." - allyson reedy
"There should be a written law that any visitor to Denver must eat a green chile-drenched breakfast burrito. We’re so into them that Denver even has an official breakfast burrito day (it’s the second Saturday in October). You’ll see carts slinging these burritos on downtown corners, but drive past those and stop in at 39-year-old El Taco de Mexico. The menu is full of soul-nourishing Mexican food that includes flautas, tacos, and enchiladas, in addition to burritos. When they ask if you’d like your burrito smothered in green chile, the answer is always yes. Just don’t be confused if it doesn’t come out green: In Colorado, it’s tinted orange, thanks to the addition of tomatoes." - allyson reedy
"From its singular green chile and impeccable beans and rice to its famous chile-relleno burrito and, of course, textbook-level tacos, there are myriad reasons this decades-old institution in the Santa Fe Arts District not only counts among Denver’s best Mexican restaurants but also regularly ranks on the Eater 38 — and boasts an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation to boot." - Ruth Tobias, Eater Staff
"Not for nothing did this three-decade-old institution in the Santa Fe Arts District receive an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2020. Whether topped with carne asada, lengua, or tripe along with a bit of onion and cilantro, the tacos here are textbook, reflecting the skill and consistency of the veteran crew behind the counter. Order a full plate; the beans and rice it comes with are exemplary, too." - Eater Staff, Ruth Tobias