Tongue-n-Cheek Meet El Taco De Mexico

It would be a disservice to oneself not to order El Taco De Mexico’s famous tacos. Full of savory flavor and authenticity, El Taco De Mexico is by far Denver’s choice place to eat Mexican food. The restaurant is located on the corner of 8th Avenue and Santa Fe Drive, and while it looks like a hole in the wall, one should not mistake it for anything short of out of this world.

El Taco De Mexico is small and quaint— the menu is displayed in bold letters above the counter, and patrons can order several homestyle meals. The restaurant seems a little run-down and old, but it’s the restaurant’s location in a Hispanic neighborhood that provides an authentic feel immediately upon entering.

The tamales at El Taco De Mexico differ from typical US tamales because they’re filled with chicken, not pork. photo: Ashley Bauler • CU Denver Sentry — The tamales at El Taco De Mexico differ from typical US tamales because they’re filled with chicken, not pork.
photo: Ashley Bauler • *CU Denver Sentry*

The tacos ($10) can be ordered with a variety of different meats including cheek, tongue, chicken, or beef. The tacos are Mexican delicacies and provide the consumer with a rich and authentic food experience.

The tamales ($12) are an equal competitor for best dish at the restaurant. Most tamales in the US are filled with red chili and shredded pork, but the tamales at El Taco De Mexico are different as they were filled with shredded chicken and smothered in a hatch green chili sauce. This dish tasted like eating a home-cooked meal. It is flavorful and filling, as it is accompanied by Spanish rice and refried beans on the side.

For dessert, fried sopapillas ($3.25) are the obvious choice. The restaurant makes their own sopapillas a little more doughy than most. They are thick, melt in one’s mouth, and are topped with a dollop of whipped cream. The best way to eat it is to rip off the corner of the sopapilla and drizzle it in honey for the complete sopapilla experience.

The restaurant also offers house-made flan ($2.25), which is a custard/pudding and a real Mexican delicacy. The flan at El Taco De Mexico is drizzled in strawberry sauce and topped with whipped cream like the fried sopapillas. One can’t go wrong with ordering either of these desserts, or really any other dessert that is on the menu.

The food at El Taco De Mexico offers a welcomed alternative to Colorado-inspired Mexican fast food. The waitresses are extremely friendly and the restaurant is filled with locals from the neighborhood, which provides a sense of “food community.” The prices and the portions provide the consumer with the best bang for their buck. Authenticity, flavor, and affordable price are at the center of this restaurant located in the Santa Fe Art District neighborhood.