I did like this new place (first visit) and I will try it a few more times to see if they deserve 4 stars but for now I'm calling it 3 1/2. When I eat Americanized fast casual Mexican, I prefer "cali" over 'tex" so this fits the bill. We got a variety of enchilada plates and everyone (4 of us) liked theirs. I had the pork barbacoa which was less seasoned than I expected but still good quality meat. The sweet corn/onion enchilada was well appreciated. The chicken breast had big chunks of meat. We had the chips, salsa and guac appetizer. The chips were warm and not too salty, good for me. We should have gotten an extra guac container as it was quite small (we will next time- even for 2 people it is small) for the amount of chips and # of people, but fresh and tasty. The salsa was heavy on the Mexican oregano and light on the cilantro. I would have preferred it the other way around, but the others were happier this way. The rice was good, and I prefer this prep to a tomato base. Black beans were excellent. As for service and selection, I had no problem. When I got there, 6-7people were already in line and ordering and it moved quickly and everyone was friendly. I had never been there before so I had studied up on the sauce choices on the menu in advance of ordering and it clearly did state that the mild was tomatillo and the other strengths had different peppers. As for bean choice, I could hear the offerings for the customers ahead of me and was prepared for the black or pinto option as my order was taken. It was fun watching them make the tortillas right in front of the customers and if I have the option, I would take kids there to see it. read more

Cafe Mexicali - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

It's sooo good & different from all the other fast casual Mexican places (Qdoba, Chipotle, Pancheros, Illegal Pete's)! They make their tortillas fresh & their ingredients are so fresh! I had the Ensalada Mexicali with steak & oh my it was NOMZ! The quality of the ingredients & flavors is bomb & large portions for left overs! We were there before lunch rush but the service was great. I'd choose this place over their competitors!! My husband had the steak burrito & it was huge!! He normally eats it all but had some leftovers as well!! read more

Cafe Mexicali - Ensalada Mexicali - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Creamy habanero sauce on one of their burritos is to die for. Go-to burrito spot! Yum!

Between going to school in Fort Collins, summering in Boulder, and now living in Denver, I've been going to cafe mex for the better part of a decade. The food it always on point, unique and tasty. Usually, the service is good. Unfortunately, last Sunday I had one of the worst quick serve experiences I've ever had. There were two people working the line, one who got the entrees to the conveyor belt oven and the other who topped the entrees off, put the lid on and served as cashier. The girl I was with ordered ahead of me, and when she got down to pay, the employee working the register came back to retrieve her entree from the conveyor oven and asked the other employee, and I quote, "what did that b*tch get?" He clearly did not know I was with this girl, but frankly that shouldn't matter. It was extremely disrespectful, unnecessary, and a terrible way to refer to anyone, much less someone who is spending money at your establishment. Then it came time for me to order. I asked for a bowl with chips on the side since every order was to go. The employee at the start of the line proceeded to provide me with a bowl, and was very skimpy with all of the fixings. I received a half scoop of rice and had to ask twice for more. When I asked for sauce, I received a quarter ladle of each of the two sauces I'd requested, and again had to ask for more. And the worst part is they charged me for both as "extras." The chips on the side request was completely disregarded. The employee pulling entrees out of the oven asked the front of line employee what I had and she said she wasn't sure. Rather than clarify with me, I got a few chips placed on top of my bowl and smashed down by the lid. By the time we got home, they were reduced to a soggy mess. Food was tasty as always, but customer service was among the worst I've ever witnessed or experienced. The employee working the register had a terrible attitude and was flat out rude. With the amount of people out of work right now, there are tons of people who would happy to have a job at all. read more

Love this place!!! I always order the sweet corn and onion salad and it is delicious. It's very fresh and it's one of my favorite salads. Never been inside, I've only done pickup/delivery. Food is still great after the drive home. read more

that food was delish!!! Ughh that burrito I could barf that big boy up and eat him all over again read more

Cafe Mexicali - Lots of seating options - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Oh my goodness do I love the sweet pork smothered burrito. It is a ton of food that will fill you up and is exceptionally good. The staff is awesome and has a good attitude despite how busy it always is. I eat here so much. Definitely recombined. read more

Fast service amazing food, beautiful interior. I always enjoy my time eating here and can't wait to come back!

Been coming here for years, the sweet pork nachos and sweet pork quesole are definitely the best things on the menu. The chicken is average and I probably wouldn't like it if that was the first thing I tried there. The tortillas are homemade and perfect every time and the habanero queso is delicious! read more

I go here at least once a week for a huge smothered burrito and it's the best and most addicting thing ever. I personally get a sweet pork smothered burrito with black beans and their white sauce (medium heat). It's a big enough burrito to make me feel really stuffed if I eat it all or I can save half for later. Only like 11$ for tho whole thing and I get two meals out of it. What's not to like... read more

I have never left a review before but this place was so good and the customer service was amazing that I had to. i'm halfway through this chorizo breakfast burrito and i may have to walk my way back for a second one. read more

I always enjoy the food here but the customer service seems to be lacking at multiple locations. The employees are not friendly and come off rude when asking for items like extra sauce or fixing their mistake of chips when they gave you lettuce instead. I come for the food but wish the service was better. read more

LUV this spot! Free WiFi, super kind staff, generous portions, quality in flavor, best tres leches I've had in a while! read more

Cafe Mexicali - Smothered burrito and a side of chips - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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A hard pass for me. Visited on a Monday evening for an early (-ish, ~5:30pm) dinner. Ordered a smothered burrito with chicken breast inside, and it was terrible. The "red sauce" can best be described as reminiscent of sweet marinara. No amount of hot sauce could erase its awful taste. Chicken was flavored with black pepper and little else recognizable, if anything. The chicken was next to rubber. Cafe Mexicali doesn't claim to be authentic Mexican (in fact, their website's backstory says their "goal is to provide customers with Mexican genre food that is "as fresh as it gets""), but they also need to dial back claims of "Mexican genre" food. It's like below subpar Tex-Mex, which says something considering the low bar of Tex-Mex. One (small) redemption were the fresh flour tortillas -- they were far from the best tortillas ever, but it was obvious they were the best and freshest part of the burrito. If only the rest of the ingredients had been fresh and similarly prepared, perhaps this restaurant could turn itself around. I'm unclear on how it's apparently a thriving chain across Colorado, unless everyone here lacks taste buds at altitude. Needless to say, I didn't finish my burrito, I haven't gone back, and you might as well go to Qdoba or Chipotle instead. The food setup at Cafe Mexicali is the same counter-style ordering one expects from quick service "Mexican genre" food, anyway. read more

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An eating establishment which exudes what the world does not need more of. Marginal food, made with tasty ingredients, without much love I thinks. Not to mention the use of 100% disposable dishes and silverware - not compostable. Did I see any composting or recycling there? Not that I recall, but the 'dishware' in use wasn't eligible for either anyways. The disposable nature of this place is a number one reason not to give any of your business to this place. Good marks given to them for a fun deck with the great view. Not a bad place to study if you are looking for somewhere different. read more

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This place serves ma-hassive smothered burritos. I got the beans, rice, and cheese burrito smothered with green chile, and I was only able to eat a third of it (albeit I had chips and guac as well). The tortilla was ... Let's just say the tortilla here stole a piece of my heart -- it was soft and mm-mm-perfect. The smothered burrito comes with a salad (lettuce and tomato) in the metal tin with some guac on the side as well. The food was generally pretty good -- there was a nice balance between the three ingredients. But, I will admit, my stomach was in pain for a bit after eating the burrito. Maybe it was too salty for my sensitive stomach? In any case, the whole thang costed about $10 with the chips and guac and errthang, and I enjoyed it. I'm a fan. I'll be back to try the nachos soon!! read more

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I have always loved this place. Came in Tuesday night by myself after having a really hard week. I ordered and sat down and suddenly I'm hearing the staff in the back singing Careless Whisper by George Michael. It made my day, I needed a smile in that moment. The people next to me were also grinning ear to ear. Burrito was great but 5/5 for ambiance alone lmao. read more

What the Fudge happened here?? Let's see: disgruntled employees, low-quality food, and maybe a decent menu if the kids that work there actually understand it. I'm from Cali and have been to Mexico, and I can assure you this place has nothing to do with either. I'll go to Chipotle before coming here, and that's saying a lot. I'll pass read more

Today was my first and most likely only visit to Cafe Mexicali. As a self proclaimed spicy food junkie, this was definitely on my list of places I wanted to try. They had only a few vegetarian options to choose from. None of which were particularly enticing. I settled on the sweet corn and onion enchiladas, which was served with rice and beans. Only the black beans are vegetarian. The red pepper sauce they topped the dish with was decent. Lovers of authentic red chili would most likely be disappointed though, so don't expect that! The dish is served in a metal to go container that they ran through the salamander oven twice. Unfortunately the meal was still under temperature. I would go as far as saying cold. The corn filling is probably kept cold before adding it cafeteria line style. It looked and tasted as if the cheese only barely started to melt. The overall taste of the meal was bland. The sugary taste of the sweet corn overpowered the dish. Corn is already sweet, not sure why they added sugar. For a dish labeled "sweet corn and onion", there were so few tiny onion pieces, I almost thought there was no onion. I was excited to see they had a hot sauce shelf, but upon further inspection there was only one brand not riddled with preservatives and red number 40. This is Boulder where a lot of people care what they eat. The only reason I gave this restaurant 3 stars is their salsa was decent and was obviously made in house. They also offered a "Heat Wave" sauce which had a good taste and a little kick. However, it was so watery I didn't really know how to use it for this meal. I wet my chips in it and that was ok I guess. Overall, based on this one experience I'd say this is a two star food experience and 3 stars if you take into account, location, atmosphere and house salsa. read more

Cafe Mexicali - Wasn't impressed. Sorry. Not sorry. - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Foods good. Staff wasn't friendly. I could not hear over the counter, was chill and polite about it. Met with crazy looks by staff. Just trying to be kind and get fed. I'll save my hunger and pocket book for a less degrading dining encounter. read more

This place is too often compared to Chipotle. They both serve burritos, but they are serving two different palates (tastes). Chipotle is less heavy, its less greasy, and generally speaking is healthier and less caloric. Cafe Mexicali is much less healthy, but it savors that unhealthy desire that we all have sometimes. In contrast to Chipotle it also has moderately more customizability for their food. There are a lot of options here and I like that. I say this is, generally, a pretty good place to eat. This is by no means top-notch like the burritos at the Centre, but still pretty good. read more

The quesole is my favorite. This is the only place I've ever seen it. It's a must try. Get ready to crave this.

Cafe Mex is the best place for burritos in boulder - fresh steamy torts and super good sauces. My fav is sweet corn and onion with creamy habenero sauce... chefs kiss read more

If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be the sweet corn & onion smothered burrito from Cafe Mexicali. The tortillas and creamy habanero sauce are to die for. This is the best Mexican food I've ever had, hands down. read more

I really enjoyed it! I got a quesole for the first time and it was delicious! They have a huge menu with vegetarian options as well. Portions were huge. A wide variety of salsas. I suggest the chipotle crema and sweet corn and onion option. I will be back! read more

Pricey and unappetizing. The enchiladas are flat tortillas with sauce and cheese thrown on them. $11 for that.

My favorite place in the whole world!!! I go here at least once a week. The bestest service and food!!!

Great fresh food with a fabulous view from the upstairs patio. Huge burrito that was lunch and dinner with a fresh salad on the side. Yum!

Just had the best salad here for lunch! The chicken breast with mango salsa salad has a ton of flavor in the salsa, and the chicken is really moist! Large portion for 8.95--I was stuffed! Ambiance is clean and friendly, and this place has a small eating area downstairs with a huge one upstairs, and there's an outdoor patio too! Will definitely return! read more

Absolutely huge and delicious Mexican food!!! I love eating there. I can only recommend it!!

Perfect for a casual, filling Tex-mex meal and lots of relaxed conversation. Great atmosphere, relaxing, delicious fresh food. We fed four people for about $42 and had leftovers to take home. Everyone loved their food. I like that near the soda refill station they offer a large glass dispenser filled with iced lime water. Fun touch! read more

Cafe Mexicali - Colorful, spacious, friendly atmosphere. Casual and clean, tons of space for big or intimate groups. I loved all the colored tile work. - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Place was super cheap, great service. Fresh tortillas. I loved it. That 4 dollar breakfast burrito is super good. Definitely come here if you are a student and want a comfy place to hangout with friends and eat great food for a dime. read more

This place has delicious food for great prices. They even make their tortillas fresh! I get a breakfast burrito here on the weekends and there's always a line - a testament to how good it is. read more

You won't be disappointed. My favorite is the chicken tortilla soup but everything else is great too. Homemade tortillas and the sauces are great. Better than Chipotle. read more

Cafe Mexicali - Ensalada Mexicali - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

The food tastes so bad. I would not recommend it to anyone. It tastes like generic ingredients, nothing special. The people who are saying that it is good do not know flavor. It is bland and nasty. read more

The food here.....sub par. We had a group of 6 and not one of us finished our meal...everything was weirdly over sweet, the rice, pork, quesadillas, sauces.....everything! The steak was super salty. I would definitely not recommend this place, nor will I be back. *UPDATE-Two of us ended up getting sick from this place. No bueno! read more

At Cafe Mexicali, they attempt to make extremely poor quality food edible by using a large quantity of seasonings. But instead, they just end up producing a very subpar product. And though the food tastes kinda good at first, the horrible sickness that follows will surely make you never want to come back. This restaurant cuts a lot of corners, and if the food doesn't improve, they won't last very long. read more

Customer service is terrible. The employees were rude and insulting. Plus the food is not very good.

Classic. Great. Mexican. I always come here after a morning workout for a shockingly inexpensive breakfast burrito. They are always heavy, with delicious tortillas and perfectly cooked ingredients. Exactly what I'm looking for after a morning run. During the day, the burritos just get bigger and better, a little bit more expensive but they fill up a tin with equally delicious and perfectly cooked ingredients. I've never had a bad experience here, employees are always wonderful and courteous, and there's also rooftop seating that makes this an awesome hangout spot as well. read more

Cafe Mexicali is a step down from Chipotle. The food is mediocre and I don't plan to come back. I got two tacos: carne asada and chicken and both were enough to get me full, but ask me about "goodness", yea not so much. The rice is dry, the guacamole is eh, ok. read more