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    Cafe Mexicali

    3.5 (201 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Cafe Mexicali Takeout or Delivery

    Cafe Mexicali Photos

    CAFE MEXICALI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Sweet Pork Smothered Burrito!
    Jed M.

    I fell in love with Cafe Mexicali during my college days at CSU. I recently visited the Boulder location, and I am relieved to say it remains amazing! Never pass up a Cafe Mexicali! It is a northern Colorado staple! My go-to order is the sweet pork smothered burrito! I love it smothered with the creamy habanero and green chile sauces! It's the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavors and the cheese and fresh element of pico tops it off perfectly! Love the freshly made tortillas too! Cafe Mexicali uses a fast casual, order at the counter set up. My experience is always having quick and efficient ordering and food prep process. Perfect lunch spot! This location has sizable dining space. Parking is somewhat limited depending on how busy the strip mall is.

    Mistia Z.

    I am trying to try all of the street tacos in Boulder. I ordered two pork barbacoa tacos a la carte, which was only $6 total. They asked if I wanted cheese on it. I thought it would be like Subway, where the food preparers behind the counter ask me what I want on my taco, so I was standing there, waiting, while the taco slid through the little heater on a belt. When it came out, I was not asked about toppings. They were immediately covered in pico de gallo and so much lettuce I couldn't see the taco. I was surprised, and I said something. The manager came over and I was told that I should expect the toppings listed on the menu to be automatically added and it is my responsibility to tell them if I don't want something, that I will not be asked. I don't like lettuce on my tacos, so they kindly remade them for me, and the second round had a ton of pico, but it was okay. The BBQ flavor reminded me a lot of sloppy joes I would eat as a kid, but the texture of pulled pork was way better than a sloppy joe. At 12:30 on a Thursday, the restaurant was partly full, but there was barely a line. There is upstairs seating, which is really quite lovely and a lot of sunshine. I think in the summer there may be a back patio. As I was leaving, I was thinking that if I ever needed to rent out a space for a party or a casual reception, this spot would be really nice. I will be back, but for something other than their tacos.

    Sweet Pork Smothered Burrito
    Sierra S.

    I make it a point to stop in here every time i'm in Boulder. Cafe mexicali is a spot i used to frequent in my college days and find myself craving now that i don't live in Boulder. The staff is efficient and there's ample seating if you're dining in (unless the upstairs seating is closed). I'd highly recommend getting the sweet pork and pairing it with the creamy habanero, two things that cafe mex does incredibly well that you don't often find at burrito shops!

    Breakfast Burrito
    Lisa M.

    When craving a breakfast burrito in Boulder, Cafe Mexicali is my go to burrito place! Not only are their ingredients fresh and delicious but they actually make their tortillas TO ORDER! This is not entirely common and I for one can tell you there is nothing like a fresh homemade tortilla. Everything I have tried has been delectable, but my favorite is just a bacon and green Chili burrito, with cheese of course! Check 'em out!

    Flame Broiled Steak Ensalada Mexicali
    Molly W.

    first time here and it did not disappoint! I'd say Mexicali is a more elevated chipotle/qdoba but more casual than a full service restaurant. The staff behind the counter were really kind and quick! I ordered the ensalada mexicali with steak, which is *different* than a salad, which you can also order. They put something like a quesadilla at the bottom of the tin-- tortilla, cheese, steak, and creamy habanero sauce, cut into pieces so it's easier to eat. Then on top is what you see in the photo which is lettuce, corn, tomatoes, cheese, and tortilla chips. I also added guac which they gave me on the side. I love the balance of the fresh ingredients with the warm/cooked part underneath. Would totally order again!

    Sweet Corn and Onion Enchiladas
    Melissa S.

    This place is delicious. The habanero cream sauce is to die for. I got corn and onion enchiladas, which was covered in the habanero sauce and melted cheese with rice and beans on the side. The habanero sauce was not too spicy and had a nice balance of sweet. My husband got the sweet pork enchiladas with habanero cream sauce and absolutely loved it. We ate at the restaurant and it was cute inside. I also like that they ask people to recycle the tins that the food comes in.

    Sweet pork quesolle and creamy habanero sauce
    Elise M.

    I can't get enough of their sweet pork quesolle with creamy habanero sauce! I have to stop by every time I'm in Boulder

    Steak smothered burrito w/ habanero sauce

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Way overpriced. 10 meal now is 15. Drive to Longmont for good Mexican food at 1/2 the price. poncho villa serving burritos a stick up.

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Food and stuff there was food there like the sweet pork which was good on the nachos. P

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    1 year ago

    Breakfast burritos are the best kept secret in Boulder, and it is 75% the fresh made tortilla!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Burritos are delicious I can't get enough I even paid 24 for a breakfast to get delivered to my work in broomfield that how good they are

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    2 years ago

    The BEST burrito I've ever had!! The staff is hardworking and dedicated to good and quality food.

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    2 years ago

    Fantastic Mexican restaurant! Highly suggest trying the inside out chicken burrito! The service is also very quick and the staff are kind.

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    Cozobi Fonda Fina - Camote Asado

    Cozobi Fonda Fina

    4.7(94 reviews)
    1.8 mi•Central Boulder

    Our go-to Mexican spot. We ordered guacamole a las brasas, camote asado, aguachile de pepino, taco…read morede pastor, and for mains, carne asada and huachinango a la veracruzana. Drinks: lemonade. All in, it came to around $200. The guacamole is a real standout. The camote asado (charred sweet potatoes) is my favorite - great char, well-seasoned. The lemon rice that comes with the fish was also great. One genuinely great thing about this place: everything is gluten-free, which makes it an easy pick whenever family visits since a few of them can't do gluten. That said, I'm personally a big flour-tortilla person, so if that's your preference too, just know this isn't that, but I still really enjoy coming here regardless. Solid, reliable, and great for gluten-free dinners.

    Incredible. Absolutely wonderful. A gem in the middle of the USA…read more I dined during happy hour at 2pm right when it opened. Everyone from the hostess, and all the wait staff were so kind -and made me feel welcomed. I was on call and unfortunately had two phone call I had to take, and my waitress was so gracious to send back one of my plates so that it can come out later warm and fresh. The service felt like casual fine dining, in the best sense. I really appreciated this. The happy hour menu is small but mighty. One thing I was intrigued by before coming here was that the corn is flown in from Mexico, celebrating and providing a cultural experience. I'm so grateful that they delivered on the oral experience with the balance in flavor, texture, and spice. No one ingredient overpowered the dishes service, and even the spice was there, but not to a miserable level that often leaves me suffering as I eat my food. I had the sopes de picadillo and the taco de puesto. Seriously a glorious meal. I wish I was hungrier so I could try more. Because of my work schedule, I couldn't return back during my trip, but I wish I had the chance. I would definitely make it a priority to dine here again if afforded the chance to return to Boulder!

    Photos
    Cozobi Fonda Fina
    Cozobi Fonda Fina - Costra de NY strip - Steak taco with a layer of crispy cheese

    Costra de NY strip - Steak taco with a layer of crispy cheese

    Cozobi Fonda Fina

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    Centro Mexican Kitchen - Cheers!

    Centro Mexican Kitchen

    3.8(849 reviews)
    1.8 mi•Central Boulder
    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegetarian friendly

    Dinner here is alway fun and especially so when it is supporting a cause like this night. The…read morerestaurant was part of downtown Boulder's effort to Dine Out For Ukraine. We took the opportunity to join in. The staff was welcoming and one of our favorite tables out on the patio was available. We started with drinks and though they were out of my husband's favorite beer, the one they suggested worked just as well. We started with a collection of small plates and added some other ones too. I liked their take on gazpacho with crunchy bits of toasted sourdough and micro cilantro on top. Give me cilantro on anything and I am always happy. I know this is not universal though, so know that it is in there. My husband had the tuna crudo taco plate, 3 tacos on blue corn tortillas. He also had a dish of rice and beans to supplement the taco plate. I think I would have that taco plate myself next time though I always have enjoyed the grilled fish tacos I had again this time. The yellow corn tortillas are grilled which gives them extra stability to build your own taco with a bowl full of ingredients. I love that I can use as much or as little of the collection on each tortilla. Note, tonight the cauliflower bites were very, very spicy but not the rest of the slaw. And to top the meal off just perfectly, we had the churros yet again. Their preparation makes this dish one of our favorite desserts in Boulder. A nice time for a nice cause. I'm glad there is so much support with our dining options here, for help to a country fighting for its existence.

    Bottom line: Centro needs a replacement! The food, drinks and service are not worth the price! What…read morea ^%#*^ rip off! Went to Centro for dinner with 6 of us. Ordered apps and drinks (beer and margs). Should have left when the 3 small, barely noticeable chips strips and barely 2 tablespoons of guac arrived as appetizer!!!. Then after 20 mins two beers arrived and then after another 20 mins two margs arrived and then after 10 mins the other two maths arrived. The grilled fish tacos were OMG 3 little slivers of shitty fish that had absolutely zero flavor. On top of that the "sauce" with the tacos is I kind you not a sweeter version of hot oil chill peppers that one gets at the take-away Chinese food takeout!!!! OMG Centro management you are now officially in the same category as a used car salesman! Never again will I visit your restaurant!!!

    Photos
    Centro Mexican Kitchen - Large Group Friendly

    Large Group Friendly

    Centro Mexican Kitchen - Crispy Baja Fish Taco Board

    Crispy Baja Fish Taco Board

    Centro Mexican Kitchen - Bloody Mary

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    Bloody Mary

    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria - Mole Poblano Dinner

    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria

    4.6(82 reviews)
    4.2 mi•North Boulder

    Stopped here for lunch and got the 11$ street taco, a side of cauliflower bites and a Jarritos…read moreTamarind soda. Cauliflower bites came out first, they were ok, with the mild sauce to dip. The tacos took some time and were loaded with meat, but it tasted like it was just boiled meat, no seasoning... gave them a squeeze of lime and used the hot salsa which as well was fairly flavorless, the mild salsa had a lot more flavor... Ate 2 tacos and was done, unfortunately I wasn't that impressed with the flavor in general... 3 stars.

    Sadly can't recommend this place. The night I went the whole restaurant was being ran by teen boys,…read morewhich is fine. They were working really hard and trying their best, but there was no adult to assist them in the front and it was a super busy night. They were very young and there were issues that were arising that needed adult guidance. I can't even comment if the food was good or not because I left before I got it. The first time my tacos came out it was only half of the order and there was a large, super moldy lime on my taco. I told the young boy and he was very polite about it took it back to the kitchen, but then a few seconds later just brought the same tacos out. I told him I didn't want the same food and wanted it fresh, that might be dramatic for most but for me with an immune disorder i can't risk it. I waited for a while, but I was turned off enough by the whole situation that I didn't wanna eat there anymore so I just left no refund or anything. Sad, I wanted to like this place.

    Photos
    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria - Aftermath of chilaquiles

    Aftermath of chilaquiles

    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria - Chips, rice & beans and huarache  & taco.

    Chips, rice & beans and huarache & taco.

    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria - Brisket Huarache

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    Brisket Huarache

    Santo - Chicken burrito.

    Santo

    4.0(300 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Newlands
    •$$$

    Even for a pick up for dinner, they shine. The food was ready and hot and handed over quickly. The…read morebar was busy on the evening before game day and front entrance was clearly ready for students, alums and local residents for Homecoming Weekend. We had our favorite shrimp tacos with sides of rice and of beans. It's a fun, quick and affordable casual meal for us to have at home. Eating in is always fun too.

    Wanted a new experience, so we checked out the menu for this new restaurant and it looked tasty…read moreenough to give it a shot on a Sunday afternoon. We walked in and at first it seemed like it had a decent vibe. I had actually been to this location before when it was a different restaurant. Seems like this spot changes ownership pretty frequently, which in hindsight probably says something. Right away we noticed a bunch of tables, especially the booths, still hadn't been bussed. We were told to "sit anywhere," but the only clean tables available were high tops and we wanted a booth, so we waited for the busser, who moved at a pace that honestly felt unbelievable. He seemed to be clearing tables one cup and one plate at a time, walking each item individually back to the kitchen. It was painfully inefficient. It was obvious both he and the girl at the bar saw us standing there waiting for a booth to be cleared, but nobody seemed concerned about it. Eventually the table was finally cleared, but then it sat there dirty for a long time without being wiped down. At that point we just sat anyway, assuming someone would quickly come over and clean it once they saw guests sitting there. In most restaurants, that's standard. Not here. After waiting even longer, I finally asked for a rag so I could wipe the table down myself. The response I got back was rude: "Why don't you just sit at one of the tables that's already clear?" That pretty much sealed it for us. The vibe was off from the second we walked in, and you could feel the lack of care throughout the whole place. At that point we didn't even want to order food because it already felt like the experience was headed downhill. We got up and left. Honestly, I'm glad we did. Service and atmosphere usually reflect what's happening behind the scenes, and I had zero confidence the food experience would've been any different. After leaving, we went to El Centro instead and had a much better experience. I'd recommend choosing that over this place any day of the week. Giving people a good dining experience really isn't that complicated. Sometimes it honestly feels like restaurant staff have never gone out to eat themselves and experienced what good hospitality actually feels like. Unfortunately this place completely missed the mark. We won't be back, and I wouldn't recommend it.

    Photos
    Santo - Ambience

    Ambience

    Santo - Sopapillas

    Sopapillas

    Santo - Barbed wire fence post sculpture. So cool!

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    Barbed wire fence post sculpture. So cool!

    Mojo Taqueria Boulder - Chips, salsa & guac

    Mojo Taqueria Boulder

    4.3(103 reviews)
    2.6 mi•Parkside

    I decided to stop by Mojo Taqueria in Boulder after watching some concerts at PorchFest, and we…read morehappened to catch happy hour, so the food was a little cheaper than usual. I tried the chicken tinga taco, carnitas taco, short rib enchilada with Christmas sauce, and the chicken tinga tostada. The chicken tinga tostada was definitely my favorite. It had really fresh greens and a lot of flavor without being too heavy. The chicken tinga taco was probably my second favorite and had some of those same flavors. The carnitas taco was good too, but it didn't stand out quite as much compared to the other two. The enchilada was probably my least favorite, although I really liked the red sauce. I got the Christmas sauce with both the green and red sauces, and the red had a really nice smoky flavor. The service was actually impressive. Our server was really friendly, and somehow we got our food faster than we usually do at some fast food places. I also really liked all the plants and flowers out front, which gave the place a nice atmosphere. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would definitely come back.

    Friendly, fast, efficient service at the bar for enjoying a variety of tasty happy hour snacks and…read moredrinks that keep me busy from 3:30-6:00. Officially happy hour is from 4:30-6:00 but they graciously began being happy an hour earlier for me. Well deserved #1 rated for HH in Boulder. They have MUSIC!

    Photos
    Mojo Taqueria Boulder - Bar

    Bar

    Mojo Taqueria Boulder - 3 taco plate

    3 taco plate

    Mojo Taqueria Boulder - 2 taco plate

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    2 taco plate

    Cafe Mexicali - mexican - Updated October 2026

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