Pueblo Colorado Mexican Food Take 2

[McGowdog]

I'm not going to compare the food here with New Mexico, Texas, California, Old Mexico, etc. It is what it is. Hope you enjoy or find it useful.

#1) Mi Ranchito’s 24500 E us-50 (Mesa) 719-583-1098

The best. Taste. Service. Carnitas & Green Chile hold their own. Beans & rice are both good.*

* Code for Authentic Pueblo Colorado Mexican Food.

I just called Mi Ranchitos and asked them to describe how they cook their Carnitas; Pork is cooked until tender, then it's shredded and recooked on the stove. That's what makes it crispy and good.

#2) Mi Ranchito’s-Rev B 525 S Pueblo Blvd. 564-0690

Just as good as on the Mesa (but my favorite server in town once from there moved over to Olive Garden. Maybe he'll come back to his senses and go back where he belongs). I think they both have Friday Buffets with pretty darn good crab legs if you can believe that!





#3) Mi Pueblito - Mi Ranchito's Cousin 1305 E Routt (by Northern) 546-9484

Mi Ranchito's Cousin. Need I say more? One of those places that looks rough from the outside* but not too shabby on the inside.

*Code for what makes Pueblo Pueblo.

The rest are sort of in random order. I'm gonna try to go with my personal favs down to ones I haven't tried yet but heard good things about.

Arriba's: 4000 Thatcher (4th ave west and Pueblo Blvd)

Better Breakfast Burritos than Burrito Betty's!!!!!!!!!!! Yup! NOT ANYMORE.
Best Green Chile in Pueblo at this time! Not anymore.
Try the Pork & Avocado Burritos, chicken tacos on white (flour-but fried).
OK, but I tried to get Chorizo on tacos and couldn’t because they evidently had them already made up. Bad sign.

Betty's Burritos 2401 N Elizabeth M-Sat 7:00am-2:00pm 542-3639

Get the #10 Breakfast Burrito-good for the go-it's all inside the tortilla
It’s gone back to being my favorite breakfast burrito place.


Adolfo's 604 E 4th ***Now called Vasquez *** 546-2186

When Burrito Betty's is too crowded as always, go here. They're great. I'd like to try other stuff here too real soon. Oh, nice folks and the kind of place you can go in and eat. Not fancy, just good and simple.





Adolfo's 4104 Outlook

Food is as good as above, it's 24/7! I hate the service. The food is worth it though. They hate me, don't know why. So I hate them back. Take out only for me. Hey, this is the only place like it in it's immediate surroundings too, so I'm glad it's there.

Update on service: We had dinner with some people who had a story about Adolfo's. This lady went there to order some food and the cashier lady looked back and said some things to the cook. Something like, "This stupid lady doesn't know what the bleep she's talking about." Then she looked at the girl and said, "I speak Spanish, you know."

HAH!!!!!!!! YOU SUCK AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

Papa Jose's 320 S Union Here's your great atmosphere. Dude in Colorado Springs loves it. Looked for Mexican Food for 3 years in Colorado Springs and "couldn't find it". "Doesn't feel like a restaurant, it feels like home". I like it ok. Location location location.

Jorge's Sombrero (Horhay's) 1319 E Evans 564-6486

Good Carnitas and stuff - local fav.

Nachos 409 N Santa Fe 542-1656

I better mention this one; one of MrsGowdog’s favs. Atmosphere. Location. Lively! Probably great for kids. Pretty darn good beans and rice* (remember?) Not bad for a place that doesn't know what real Carnitas are!





Mexi-Deli 215 E Abriendo 583-1275

Almost a fast-food atmosphere with drive thru, but oh so much more. Pretty Darn Good Food and Service Really! Don't expect an On-The-Border type place. You could get a drink here, just not through the drive-thru. Heard the Mochacha chimis are great here, and breakfast burritos.



City Diner 1002 N Santa Fe 545-2152

Hungry? Almost Broke? Get the City Bomber-smothered in Green!



Gray's Coors Tavern 4th and right east of MidWay 544-0455

The Slopper (get green and two patties) (if red, get onions)



Star Bar Also The Slopper. 300 Spring St near Clark and Santa Fe. 542-9718

Pantry Abriendo and between Lamar and Union 543-8072

I call some of these diners Mexican Food because of the Green. Got to try the smothered chicken enchiladas and go there hungry!



Taco Casa 704 W 29th

Drive-thru type little place; not so crazy about it last time I went there.

Taco Star 2021 S Pueblo Blvd

Yes, this fast-food joint made the list. They got some real food in there! Fish Tacos! OMG! Yum!



3 Margaritas Remember where the Germer's was 23 years ago?

I mention this franchise joint because CF, Chilis, Applebee’s, Johnny Carino’s, Olive Garden, etc. can just go away. These folks will treat you like family. This is not code; their beans are just different. I like them. They may or may not know what Carnitas are, but they know what to do with a flank steak. Sometimes, you gotta have cow. Served hot and yum.

Romero's Cafe & Catering 2648 Santa Fe (Mesa)

Many a local fav. It's just too close to # 1 Mi Ranchitos for me, that my vehicle just won't make it there. I call it the Blue Bonnet of Pueblo. "Toot Toot!" No offense to people who love it. Just try the #1 at Mi Ranchitos sometime and tell me you like Romero's better.

Martinez Cafe is another gem. 710 Polk St Pueblo, CO 81004 (719) 543-6115

Recent review:

Small, quaint and outstanding-
I was pleasantly surprised with everything at the Martinez Cafe - decor, service and especially the food. Top-notch Mexican food. Authentic red chile and creative menu. Highly recommended

I went there Sunday and it was open for a change! They have weird hours and very limited seating, but it's a very quaint and clean place. Very colorful and friendly.

These two older ladies were working in the kitchen and you just know they're good cooks and it's about as homemade as you can get.

They serve stuff like; American Style and Mexican Style breakfasts, specialties such as Smostada (beef chicken or Chorizo tostada with bean, onion & cheese topped with lettuce, tomato & sour cream), Burritos, Rellaco (a relleno in a taco style tortilla-flour or corn with ...), Polk Street Special (choice of 2 meat combination in a large flour tort with beans, onion, parmesan & cheddar cheese, guacamole & sour cream, smothered with red or green). Ala Carte: taco, enchilada, relleno, pork tamale, burrito, etc. For sides, they have you pick two of the three; rice, beans, or potatoes. The beans are good too. Good because they are homemade and not from dehydrated or from a can.

I got one chorizo taco on white, one chorizo taco on corn, and a chorizo burrito and it did not make me sick. It made me want to slap somebody's grandmother.



Sunset Grill: Great place for a Slopper and a great sports bar at Prairie and Lincoln (Thatcher begins there) 564-9841



Rita’s: Just ate there and it’s a great old place. 3rd and Grand. 542-4820
Great Green Chile. It’s what Arriba’s used to be for me.



Mill Stop 317 Bay State 564-0407

an old CF&I fav. I haven't been there yet. To some, it's just the best. It's what they say.



Oh, there's a place, east on Northern just east and north of the bridge over I-25. It's in a bar. Great food.

Pass Key, Not Mexican food, but a Pueblo Original; Abriendo off I-25, 542-0827

Places I need to find: Molly's Tamale House 410 Indiana (if it's still open), Taco Stop 702 E 4th, Casa de Burritos 1729 S Prairie "Bean & Chicharron-the best", Tortilleria Delicias 926 S Santa Fe (looks hard to find, may be a gem), 296-8499

Liz’s Tamale House 1243 Eilers Ave, 583-1744
(Between: Northern & Mesa) (Near: Northern Ave E & Santa Fe Ave S)


Grand Prix Restaurant & Lounge 615 E Mesa Avenue 542.9825
(Between: Mahren & Bohmen) (Near: Mahren Ave & Mesa Ave E)

ADD: I just checked this place out last night on the way home!

Well I finally checked out Grand Prix last night. The wife is still sick and I've been ordering take-out way too much lately. It's been chicken soup and jello for her.

Another Pueblo Colorado Gem!

This place has the best chicken tacos on white I've ever had. The prices are among the best in town. They have this Mexican style potato called "Papas (??)" that looks so good and I'll try it soon. The green chile has generous portions of pork and is slightly thinner than some of those stew type green chile that you'll find in these parts. I guess they hold the recent awards on green chile and perhaps red chili... perhaps taking that distinction away from Romero's.

This place is east on Mesa over the I-25 bridge and further east of Santa Fe by Bohmen on the north side of the street. It's the quaintest little neighborhood and looks like a place that's rarely crowded. It's a real cool neighborhood looking place.

Great looking place and very friendly family-owned looking establishment.




Buena Ventura Mexican Import 545-8228 1200 East Evans Avenue,
(Between: Arroyo & Mesa) (Near: Evans Ave E & Mesa Ave W)


El Nopal Restaurant 1435 E Evans Avenue, Phone: 719.564.9784 (Between: Division & Central)
(Near: Division Ave & Routt Ave E)


El Valle Restaurant Phone: (719) 564-9983
Address:208 West Northern Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81004

(Between: Abriendo & Elm) (Near: Evans Ave E & Northern Ave W)


I recently took some flak for my opinions on this list and someone from another forum backed up my suggestions here when he wrote:

I'm not one to talk about cuisine. In my early 20's I would hit Denver's Casa Bonita restaurant for the all you can eat. And with my cast iron stomach, I'm alive to tell about it. So there are few people who will take my word for who's got the best eats in town. Having said that, I do understand business. I notice lunch and dinner rushes, the locals who come in, the tourists who come in. With the State Fair coming in, this is Pueblo's day in the sun. But I go through there in the fall and visit friends who have lived there for decades. Places like Mi Ranchito’s and Rita's have been around for some time. When I see locals steadily come in after dinner rush is over and is busy all the way to closing time I notice that. When long time locals patronize businesses for years I notice that. When those places are cranking out dinners close to closing I notice that. Another one, Jorge's Sombrero (off east Evans, I think) falls into that category as well. Nothing against chain restaurants, but I find a lot of them are growing more impersonal. I like to eat where the locals eat. And I am rarely disappointed by the food and the service of the staff. Just my 2 cents worth.

And finally, The Redwood Inn.


Just goofin'.

[Wyody]

I'll take just a moment and put in my 2cents for Casa Bonita in Denver.
My tastes in Mexican food change over the years. Always big on enchiladas (that's right ... the BIG enchilada) but my current favorite is empanaca (spinach). Used to do a lot of my own Chili Verde but seemed to have let that slip by the wayside.
Been stuck in a lot of little towns with only a Mexican restaurant or two ... and know a few Texans who are very big with Chorizo on the Grill.
Thanks McGowan - when I make it to Pueblo, it looks like I'll have proper instruction.
I would be remiss here if I didn't take the time and space to preach on the virtues of FRIED ICE CREAM. Testify!!