Great taco bar. The poc chuc - citrus-marinated grilled pork that's a specialty of the Yucatán - is a particular standout, and their house margs and salsas are very tasty.
Andrea V.
Coconut mart was amazing. The tacos were perfect, huge diversity of flavor. Will totally be back
Madison Stockton
On Tuesday, we were at the brewery next door and decided we had a hankering for a cocktail. We entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by Taylor. What could have been an ordinary, amicable experience at a local watering hole grew into a shared collection of memories between us and an unsuspecting bartender. He exceeded all of our expectations with his wit, hospitality, attention to detail, and kindness. There is not enough real estate on the size of this phone screen to measure the stars to which we would gift this establishment, but we can only recommend you spend your next Tuesday at El Rey.
Clarissa S.
Food was ok. Service was great though! The music station was on point btw! I haven't heard anyone else play Caifanes in town!
Taylor O.
Service -The best thing that had going was the service. It was quick. Quality - Tacos were average, and very small even for street tacos. Value - not great. At $5 each , after $40 spent on tacos alone we elected to go somewhere else for second dinner. Won't be back.
Paul M.
Expensive tacos for what you get. Also the tortillas were soaked with the juices of the various meats ordered, that the bottoms all fell out when picked up. Was really hoping for this place to be good and worth it but sadly left disappointed.
VICTORIA OXFORD
very approachable place the moment I came in I was unsure what to do they told me to sit anywhere I sat down I wasn't sure of what I wanted and asked for a suggestion I was brought a duck taco and a pastor both of them were absolutely fantastic I only have a picture of the duck Taco because I had to order it a second time because of how fast I ate both of them they're really filling and it's an amazing place to just jam out and relax with your buds.Kid-friendliness: It looks like a place where you can bring your family and your friends before I get together the people are really friendly themselves obviously you shouldn't be bringing kids that are younger than 10 to this place but otherwise it is an amazing place
Mallory C.
I'm a little confused as to the high ratings of this place, but I feel like the bar is pretty low for this area, especially since COVID (and what people in Denver consider "good"). We were in the area and wanted to go to Carbon Cafe, but like every other place we used to frequent, it's gone, so we settled for tacos. Our experience was mediocre. The food was fine, but I won't be feeling a strong desire to return. What I found most surprising was how lunch for two people was $60 with NO drinks. Often that is what we pay WITH cocktails. It seemed there had been some changes to the menu that was online or our server was confused, or both. First of all, we ordered chips and salsa, and she brought chips and guacamole. When we asked what there were for non-alcoholic options for drinks she apathetically named a few sodas. I ordered a side of green chili, specifying just the 2 oz offering that was listed on the menu, and she said they could only do the full 8 oz. Then it was another $3 for very small tortillas to accompany it. The tacos were fine but nothing special. Both the chicken and carne asada had weird herbal flavors that overpowered them, and the chicken one was... sour? Maybe it was the citrus salsa, but it wasn't something I'd eat again. Perhaps our experience would have been better if we had cocktails, but with all the other taco options in town, this won't be one we'll be frequenting.
Michael W.
The flavors and quality and freshness were extremely good. My only complaint would be that the tacos should have two tortillas. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Steve L.
El Rey de la Mesa tacos don't suck. Crispy pork belly, juicy meat all around. Perfect fixins execution. Pork belly: Chamony, pickled onion, queso fresco Carne asada: Salsa verde, red onion, queso fresco Al pastor: Grilled pineapple, salsa verde, queso fresco Carnitas: Tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, radish Barbacoa: Tomatillo salsa, red cabbage, and, you guessed it, queso fresco P: Dining Colorado #denvertacos #denvermexican #denvermexicanfood #5280tacos #303tacos #milehighbites #milehightacos #coloradotacos #milehighfood
Very friendly service. Margaritas were OK but really enjoyed the food. The duck tacos were delicious.
Brianna Coury
First time coming here but it’s long overdue. Amazing taco spot with great drinks. I got the Al Pastor, chicken and carnitas tacos and they are arguably the best tacos i’ve had in Denver. The meat is incredible and they are very authentic! I got the lunch special which was 3 tacos for $15, I didn’t need any more or any less it was a perfect and delicious amount.They have great house made juices, I also had the strawberry basil drink with tequila and it didn’t disappoint.Not only is the food & drink great but the staff was all lovely and very attentive. Heidi made my drinks and they were incredible, the chef who was making the food did an amazing job. The combinations are authentic to his roots and you can tell. Darci was around with the biggest smile on her face making sure everyone was taken care of.All around it was an amazing experience and I will definitely be back (multiple times).
Fiestas303
Found myself in this area which I've done jobs before but never really had the time to stop and grab something to eat, usually later at night, today was my day and after searching and coming across many options this was the most convincing based on reviews, pictures and prices.Since it was my first time here tried 3 different types of tacos, they happened to have a special which apparently is daily until 4pm.3 tacos for $5 each soda included; it was a surprise when it was time to pay.So they have variety of tacos and the lower price tacos are what can be options for the special.I ended ordering an asada taco, barbacoa, and Al pastor which alone from the pictures was determining factor in choosing this place over others .The service was quick and friendly. Like the atmosphere and staffs energy and attentiveness.Water and drink were brought almost immediately and food didn't take long right after.The tacos were a little smaller than expected but still delicious and very well prepared.The asada was great tasting; great quality beef cooked to perfection.The al pastor? Definitely as delicious as it appears in photos;definitely a star in its own right.The barbacoa? The barbacoa was also delicious, shredded beef was tender and delicious. The only slight weakness but very minimal was the sauce. It was good and delicious however it was border tangy sharp maybe due to tomatillos or added Lime.Since the neighboring table said all tacos and dessert were delicious proceeded to order a flan as well.That flan was one of the best flans ive had; the consistency was firm yet soft and creamy while not being too wobbly. The only thing that could improve if it all even though it was prefection as it was, would be a tad of texture maybe crumbs for slight variety of texture similar to cheesecake or crystalized brown sugar. However that caramel tasted delicious and not overly sweet everything was well balanced as well as in the tacos.Even the soda tasted great, seemed to have or maintain carbonation well, maybe the ice wasn't melting rapidly allowing to taste fresh until drank it all.I would definitely return and recommend you give a try yourself.Another thing I noticed on the flan as well was it had bits of fresh lemon peel which gave it a unique flavor and perhaps helped to balance the flavors.The owner was very charming and friendly.Keep it up, many of the staff acknowledged and warmly greeted me as was leaving.Great people!
Tacos T.
Pretty good for Denver but that's not saying much since the authentic Mexican food here leaves much to be desired. Props for making their own tortillas, although they are a bit stale and thick. Wondering if it's the masa harina. Fillings are good if not very traditional. I think the al pastor was the most successful although, again, certainly not the usual trompo style you'd find in Mexico. Service was polite but pretty slow given the place was basically empty at lunch on a Saturday. I would have had another margarita but nobody bothered to ask. Overall, decent Mexican food for Denver, but not sure I'll make it back.
David Capps
Such a great local place! I am blessed to live a block away, and I will make it my mission to keep this place open by coming everyday if I need to!! The tacos are so flavorful, and the drinks are made with fresh juices. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they have happy hour as well! Love this place
Great taco bar. The poc chuc - citrus-marinated grilled pork that's a specialty of the Yucatán - is a particular standout, and their house margs and salsas are very tasty.
Coconut mart was amazing. The tacos were perfect, huge diversity of flavor. Will totally be back
On Tuesday, we were at the brewery next door and decided we had a hankering for a cocktail. We entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by Taylor. What could have been an ordinary, amicable experience at a local watering hole grew into a shared collection of memories between us and an unsuspecting bartender. He exceeded all of our expectations with his wit, hospitality, attention to detail, and kindness. There is not enough real estate on the size of this phone screen to measure the stars to which we would gift this establishment, but we can only recommend you spend your next Tuesday at El Rey.
Food was ok. Service was great though! The music station was on point btw! I haven't heard anyone else play Caifanes in town!
Service -The best thing that had going was the service. It was quick. Quality - Tacos were average, and very small even for street tacos. Value - not great. At $5 each , after $40 spent on tacos alone we elected to go somewhere else for second dinner. Won't be back.
Expensive tacos for what you get. Also the tortillas were soaked with the juices of the various meats ordered, that the bottoms all fell out when picked up. Was really hoping for this place to be good and worth it but sadly left disappointed.
very approachable place the moment I came in I was unsure what to do they told me to sit anywhere I sat down I wasn't sure of what I wanted and asked for a suggestion I was brought a duck taco and a pastor both of them were absolutely fantastic I only have a picture of the duck Taco because I had to order it a second time because of how fast I ate both of them they're really filling and it's an amazing place to just jam out and relax with your buds.Kid-friendliness: It looks like a place where you can bring your family and your friends before I get together the people are really friendly themselves obviously you shouldn't be bringing kids that are younger than 10 to this place but otherwise it is an amazing place
I'm a little confused as to the high ratings of this place, but I feel like the bar is pretty low for this area, especially since COVID (and what people in Denver consider "good"). We were in the area and wanted to go to Carbon Cafe, but like every other place we used to frequent, it's gone, so we settled for tacos. Our experience was mediocre. The food was fine, but I won't be feeling a strong desire to return. What I found most surprising was how lunch for two people was $60 with NO drinks. Often that is what we pay WITH cocktails. It seemed there had been some changes to the menu that was online or our server was confused, or both. First of all, we ordered chips and salsa, and she brought chips and guacamole. When we asked what there were for non-alcoholic options for drinks she apathetically named a few sodas. I ordered a side of green chili, specifying just the 2 oz offering that was listed on the menu, and she said they could only do the full 8 oz. Then it was another $3 for very small tortillas to accompany it. The tacos were fine but nothing special. Both the chicken and carne asada had weird herbal flavors that overpowered them, and the chicken one was... sour? Maybe it was the citrus salsa, but it wasn't something I'd eat again. Perhaps our experience would have been better if we had cocktails, but with all the other taco options in town, this won't be one we'll be frequenting.
The flavors and quality and freshness were extremely good. My only complaint would be that the tacos should have two tortillas. I highly recommend this restaurant.
El Rey de la Mesa tacos don't suck. Crispy pork belly, juicy meat all around. Perfect fixins execution. Pork belly: Chamony, pickled onion, queso fresco Carne asada: Salsa verde, red onion, queso fresco Al pastor: Grilled pineapple, salsa verde, queso fresco Carnitas: Tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, radish Barbacoa: Tomatillo salsa, red cabbage, and, you guessed it, queso fresco P: Dining Colorado #denvertacos #denvermexican #denvermexicanfood #5280tacos #303tacos #milehighbites #milehightacos #coloradotacos #milehighfood
Restaurantji Recommends
Very friendly service. Margaritas were OK but really enjoyed the food. The duck tacos were delicious.
First time coming here but it’s long overdue. Amazing taco spot with great drinks. I got the Al Pastor, chicken and carnitas tacos and they are arguably the best tacos i’ve had in Denver. The meat is incredible and they are very authentic! I got the lunch special which was 3 tacos for $15, I didn’t need any more or any less it was a perfect and delicious amount.They have great house made juices, I also had the strawberry basil drink with tequila and it didn’t disappoint.Not only is the food & drink great but the staff was all lovely and very attentive. Heidi made my drinks and they were incredible, the chef who was making the food did an amazing job. The combinations are authentic to his roots and you can tell. Darci was around with the biggest smile on her face making sure everyone was taken care of.All around it was an amazing experience and I will definitely be back (multiple times).
Found myself in this area which I've done jobs before but never really had the time to stop and grab something to eat, usually later at night, today was my day and after searching and coming across many options this was the most convincing based on reviews, pictures and prices.Since it was my first time here tried 3 different types of tacos, they happened to have a special which apparently is daily until 4pm.3 tacos for $5 each soda included; it was a surprise when it was time to pay.So they have variety of tacos and the lower price tacos are what can be options for the special.I ended ordering an asada taco, barbacoa, and Al pastor which alone from the pictures was determining factor in choosing this place over others .The service was quick and friendly. Like the atmosphere and staffs energy and attentiveness.Water and drink were brought almost immediately and food didn't take long right after.The tacos were a little smaller than expected but still delicious and very well prepared.The asada was great tasting; great quality beef cooked to perfection.The al pastor? Definitely as delicious as it appears in photos;definitely a star in its own right.The barbacoa? The barbacoa was also delicious, shredded beef was tender and delicious. The only slight weakness but very minimal was the sauce. It was good and delicious however it was border tangy sharp maybe due to tomatillos or added Lime.Since the neighboring table said all tacos and dessert were delicious proceeded to order a flan as well.That flan was one of the best flans ive had; the consistency was firm yet soft and creamy while not being too wobbly. The only thing that could improve if it all even though it was prefection as it was, would be a tad of texture maybe crumbs for slight variety of texture similar to cheesecake or crystalized brown sugar. However that caramel tasted delicious and not overly sweet everything was well balanced as well as in the tacos.Even the soda tasted great, seemed to have or maintain carbonation well, maybe the ice wasn't melting rapidly allowing to taste fresh until drank it all.I would definitely return and recommend you give a try yourself.Another thing I noticed on the flan as well was it had bits of fresh lemon peel which gave it a unique flavor and perhaps helped to balance the flavors.The owner was very charming and friendly.Keep it up, many of the staff acknowledged and warmly greeted me as was leaving.Great people!
Pretty good for Denver but that's not saying much since the authentic Mexican food here leaves much to be desired. Props for making their own tortillas, although they are a bit stale and thick. Wondering if it's the masa harina. Fillings are good if not very traditional. I think the al pastor was the most successful although, again, certainly not the usual trompo style you'd find in Mexico. Service was polite but pretty slow given the place was basically empty at lunch on a Saturday. I would have had another margarita but nobody bothered to ask. Overall, decent Mexican food for Denver, but not sure I'll make it back.
Such a great local place! I am blessed to live a block away, and I will make it my mission to keep this place open by coming everyday if I need to!! The tacos are so flavorful, and the drinks are made with fresh juices. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they have happy hour as well! Love this place