Great location, staff and environment but food was just ok - dry and bland. We sat on the covered patio and it was nice and warm

My wife and I went here for dinner on a recent vacation. I feel a bit bad giving a bad review as the staff were very nice and accommodating, but at the same time what we had was just really, really bad Mexican food. We were staying at the Chautauqua not too far away and decided to walk down to Pearl St. for dinner. After a pretty short wait on a Friday evening we were seated. I ordered a margarita, my wife ordered some wine, and we got chips & salsa and some bass ceviche for appetizers. Then we started noticing the food on other people's tables. I'm not entirely sure that the Colorado idea of Mexican food as the same as the Southern California one, but nothing looked...good. Our chips and salsa showed up and the chips were like unsalted Tostitos, while the salsa was basically just tomato sauce. Then the ceviche showed up. I love bass, and this was just foul. Somehow way too much citrus while the fish didn't "cook" enough in the citrus. Fishy, chewy, and mouth-puckeringly sour. I love ceviche, and this wasn't ceviche. This was lemon juice with not-so-great fish. Thankfully my wife had the good idea to not order entrees until we had the appetizers. We asked for the check at that point, and to their credit, the restaurant tried to make amends. The manager asked for feedback for the kitchen, which we gave, though admittedly the answer that "yeah, there's nothing spicy in the salsa" wasn't a great answer to "your salsa doesn't have any heat at all". It was honest though, and I appreciate that. They ended up taking our appetizers off the bill and just charging us for drinks, which was very kind of them. The manager deserves credit, but I'm sad that he was the best part of the experience there. On the positive side, the margarita was fantastic - not syrupy, not too sweet, just the right amount of sour. Would absolutely go back for margaritas, as long as I had plans to eat somewhere else. My view may be skewed by the Mexican food I've had. Grew up on San Diego taco shops and then on to Los Angeles. I like spicy. I saw Cochinita Pibil on the menu and got all excited until the appetizers told me that it wouldn't be what I was hoping for, what I've had, what I've made. That said, a Lyft driver later in our trip bemoaned the fact that, according to her, there is "no good Mexican food in Colorado." I'm not sure if that's true, but so far, the evidence is in her favor. read more

Came here for brunch - pretty good food. Had the Benny and the mini pancakes, with a Bloody Mary. Service was slow on bringing out drinks (I think they forgot). I recommend the chips and guacamole as a snack - the chips were hot and soft, very good. I'd come back here and try lunch - the food sounded and looked good. read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Carnitas Benny & bloody mary - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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We were recently out in Colorado visiting family and decided to spend a Sunday on the pedestrian walk in Boulder. Looking for a place to have lunch/brunch, we found Centro and were happy we did! The space is bright and airy and since it was a nice day, had bustling indoor and outdoor dining available. It was a little too hot outside, so, we dined indoors, where the a/c was plentiful. Since it was midday Sunday, they were offering their brunch menu. The drink menu was nearly as long as the entrée menu, but that was fine with us. Our entrées were the Steak & Eggs, Centro Benedict, and two orders of Huevos Rancheros (one with shrimp, one without). We also ordered some specialty drinks; two Bloody Marias and a Desert Heat. Everything was terrific. The food was good. The drinks were strong and the service was quick. read more

Since the Nuggets/Lakers game made finding a quick bite in Boulder more difficult than anticipated, we found ourselves at Centro - Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace. This place turned out to be fantastic, not only for food (fresh avocado salsa, a stuffed red pepper, and chicken enchiladas!), but for service. James and his trainee (we didn't catch his name, but it was only his first day on the job) ended up playing dual roles - our waiters, as well as our own personal concierge. They helped us locate a butcher (to stock up for camping) and offered all sorts of other advice about Boulder. We sat outside (Memorial day weekend) and it was a little cold - they don't have outdoor heaters (which is fine with me since think those are a huge waste of fuel)). The dinner was a little pricier than we had anticipated spending that evening, but well worth it in my opinion. All of the food we ordered was well prepared and the margaritas were both delicious and not outrageously expensive. I can't imagine there being a better place for Mexican in the area. read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Our awesome waiter James - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We have never been here before until last week, we were walking Down Pearl St., Mall and saw this hidden gem. They have an amazing indoor/outdoor bar, refreshing/amazing menu, their Decor was inviting and fun to look at, and the staff was extremely polite and fast. We were immediately greeted and sat, and they gave us water while we decided on what we wanted . When we finally did order our food it came out quickly, and it was amazing. I have to say looking at the menu for the first time it's a little daunting, it's not your typical Mexican restaurant. But definitely worth a try! -Great Price -Great location -Great Decor -Up beat/helpful/fast staff I would suggest if you're looking to try a new twist on an old classic come give this place a try! read more

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Centro is an awesome stop for a day-time taco snack or a blow-out mexi-meal! Happy hour sports great prices for classics bevs, the staff is friendly and my food was delivered quickly. The atmosphere is fun and rustic, with a great patio overlooking Pearl St. If you get a craving for Mexican definitely try them out! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We waited an hour. Got "lost" on the waitlist. Finally got to hostess and waited to be seated for 10 min. Nothing. Please avoid this place. Just no. read more

This is definitely one of my favorite places in Boulder. I was a little saddened when I had heard that they changed their menu. I was sad to see some of their choices go, but some of their new items are definitely a crowd pleaser. If you go here, you would be missing out if you didnt try their nachos. It is something out of this world. Get it with the chicken and you will be in paradise. The chicken is fill of flavor and still has the juices locked in. It's not the dry kind that you might get elsewhere. Last time I was here I ordered the steak and shrimp burrito and it was a compliment of flavors I won't soon forget. read more

The delicious smell inside this restaurant made me want to eat inside, but we chose to eat outside due to it being such a nice day. It got cool as the sun was setting, but the fireplace and heat lamps kept us feeling warm and comfortable. We had been walking around the Pearl Street Mall and stopped here because I had always wanted to eat here and we finally did it! I am so happy we did! The food was outstanding! We both had the grilled salmon. The salmon was cooked to perfection and I could taste the individual flavors of each ingredient. So well done! The red chili sauce was wonderful. Our dessert was just as outstanding. We both had the grilled banana cream tart. So delicious! I can't wait to go to this restaurant again! read more

Excellent service. Great atmosphere. Savory food. Great price and large portion size. Great location. Parking is a bit tricky, be ready to walk but so worth it. read more

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We really enjoyed the customer service. Unlike what we had up in Estes Park. Ask for Desire. She knows how to take care of a customer! Even the manager Bobby came out to make sure things were good. (I have this thing about raw and lots of cooked onions.) He told me all of the preparations. Desire even brought out the recipes to let me know that onions would be in certain parts of the food. That spoke volumes. The guacamole was great and fresh. Our entrees were very good. Cod Tacos and Carne Asada. Thank you Desire and Bobby! There is a great Proverb to the upper management that says, "Do not withhold good to whom it is due when it is within you power to do it." read more

Great stroll down historic Pearl street, I had read Centros menu and saw that they had Empanadas, we strolled in at happy hour where virtually everything was priced to where you could tryout a lot of dishes. Our group ordered the Piccadillo Empanadas, Queso, Chicken Enchilada, Huevos Rancheros , summer squash vegetarian taco. We also ordered a kids fish and chips. I give a 5 to the staff, fast service, clean surroundings. Howdy Beer gets a 5 being locally brewed Lafayette Colorado. Food Earned a Solid 4 read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This place is a light and bright bar that was fairly crowded the night I was there. The best part is, because there is plenty of space, you aren't constantly bumping into people. This is also a restaurant and since I was here well after dining hours, the space was utilized in that capacity. The line for drinks at the bar was minimal as they keep things running smoothly. The bouncer is friendly and not as "meat-headish" as other places in town. I would recommend this place for large groups as the vibe is cool, and there is space for all. THIS REVIEW IS NOT FOR THE FOOD HERE, JUST DRINKS!!! read more

Clean fast friendly not expensive the have a patio it's off pearl street and the food was great. It is a different place that's for sure but I definitely got full of my plate and everything tasted great! I'm Hispanic and it's pretty authentic I love the fact that you have two choices of beans black beans and pinto beans the kids meals come with fruit and vegetables! Great atmosphere would definitely come here again for some drinks next time ! read more

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We came in for happy hour on Monday and had a lovely time. Our server, Mike, was polite, punctual and informative and the food was delicious! Such a fun, upbeat atmosphere. The manager, Kelly, checked in and was super gracious and friendly. Loved it - we will definitely return!! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Party of 7, 4 of us described the taco steak as dog food. Arugula salad dressed with pepper, salt, and olive oil. Chip salsa definitely sourced out of a twist-off, Safeway, half-gallon plastic jug. Summary: a French family must have came over to the states and attempted to start a Mexican restaurant. read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - "Brisket" from the Chile Relleno - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We had a good experience here tonight! The chips and salsa were good, we had the happy hour coin margarita which was almost perfect- not sweet but too much ice. We had the queso for checking in and it was tasty and smoky flavor but could definitely use salt. I had the carnitas plate which was fabulous, I would get it every time and had lots leftover. My husband liked the fish tacos and our kids also liked their tacos and loved the fries. Fun relaxing atmosphere, we will be back again! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Chips and salsa to start out the night! - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Just had a pomegranate mimosa. Tasted great, but not fresh. Made the mistake of deciding to go to other places on the strip to scout out a good olace for lunch. Made the mistake of going to the best at first, and never got around to getting back for our lunch... mimosa was good. Outdoor seating was great. Seemed a touch expensive for the location, which is in an outdoor mall... it is what it is. Will be back for food! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Great brunch menu - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Q: When should I come here? A: This is a great place if you want to relax and feel a tiny escape in the middle of Pearl Street. Pretty casual, but great food and presentation nonetheless. Great for after a hike or to celebrate with drinks. Q: What was one unique aspect of the atmosphere? A: They have a partially enclosed patio, so you get all the fresh air without the direct sun. Q: Favorite part about the food? A: Went for brunch, and the green chile English muffin in the carnitas benedict was BOMB. Q: How was the service? A: Attentive and quick. Wasn't very full at the time though. Q: Any deals? A: Monday is all day happy hour! Will definitely be back for that. Q: Anything to improve? A: The eggs benedict could have used just a bit more sauce, especially since it came with hash browns. read more

Food was great and the happy hour complementary chips and salsa were a bonus but our experience went down hill from there. When all the food came out, we realized the server forgot to order one dish. No problem, we had the dish reordered and it came out shortly after we started eating. When it came time to pay, we asked the server to split our checks and she started to give us a put off attitude. After splitting the checks two ways, we noticed we were double charged for the missing dish even though she had first stated that the dish was never originally ordered. Usually this would be no problem and they would take it off the check. Not this time, she proceeds to argue with me that we ate both orders and I can tell she didn't believe me. She reluctantly sent over the manager and had him finally sort it out. Rude and arrogant throughout the whole ordeal she chose to escalate the situation instead of resolving and listening to me. Will not be coming back. Did not order high blood pressure but I got that from dealing with her ineptitude. read more

Centro is on my Usual Suspects list (no, that does not mean that Keyser Soze will be breaking bread with me), but instead means that it is a total no-brainer for brunch/lunch or dinner and requires no special occasion, reason or thought. It's fresh, good and consistent and relies on producing dishes with real flavor...not faked with gobs of butter and fat. I laugh out loud as I segue from that last statement into mac and cheese...but if you had kids in tow, the kids Mac n Cheese is a HUGE hit - but you have to know to ask as they just recently took it off the menu. Don't feel guilty as you sneak a bite or two off their plates. My favs are their street tacos - the mushroom one is super yummy - their chicken enchiladas and their pazole. The grilled, caramelized grapefruit is very nice (Borat agrees). The outdoor-ish patio is fabulous and the location at the Top of Pearl (ironically acronyms to TOP) is ideal. Great prices. read more

The place is pretty big with a lot of indoor and outdoor covered seating. Got seated right away and was able to order which was great since we didn't have a lot of time for lunch. I ordered the seafood bowl and you could tell the seafood wasn't the freshest. The main sauce of the bowl was good but there was also some lettuce seasoned somewhat different that I didn't care too much for. It was very strange to have that different a flavor from the rest of the dish. My colleague ordered the same seafood bowl and he mentioned the same. The waiter was nice but didn't smile once. It's not like it was bad service but nowadays I'm used to the waiter/waitress at least smiling a little or seeming like they're a little happy. The prices were ok. I'll try to give this place another try but first time was just average. read more

Yummm centro is the best! Their margs are PERFECT and prices aren't bad either for the amount of food you get. $12 for a huge plate of nachos with quality toppings. Enchiladas aren't bad either, If you're with someone who doesn't like Mexican food they have a really yummy salmon salad too. They're usually pretty crowded so maybe call ahead of time or plan to get a drink while you wait if it's a busy time. Even one of my picky friends who was skeptical told me it was an awesome recommendation after I brought a big group there after some hiking. read more

The previous week we had been to LOLA in Highlands and loved it. As we live in Boulder we thought might as well go to Centro as the menu is identical. How disappointed we were. The menu may look the same but the dishes were way apart with quality, taste and presentation. The service was also lacking with our server very disinterested in providing any sort of service or experience. I was very disappointed in the whole experience which isn't the norm for any of the other establishments part of the Big Red F. Centro, you've lost me. read more

Unique dinner menu with amazing choices. Great service and fun vibe! Highly recommend. Will definitely return on our next trip to Boulder.

Great place! I hope you are Lucky enough to catch Kyle the Best Bartender on the Planet! It's a Great Place for Food, Fun and Drinks! If you like spicy try the Shrimp Diablo! It's not often you find staff that makes your experience a dream to remember! We stumbled onto Centro the first time.... We went straight to it a few nights later! Another Great Time! Thanks Centro for Fun in Boulder! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Kyle W and T! - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Centro Mexican was overall a pretty good lunch! I expected more of a menu than what was brought to me but that's not to say the food was delicious! I ordered a taco lunch box which includes two beef tacos and a side of rice and beans. Servings are pretty small but customer service was great! I recommend this to anyone who wants a chill laid back ambient vibe to it. read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Great margaritas; innovative / fun tacos! The food here is stellar all around and a wide variety to accommodate a lot of different tastes. Fun patio all year long (covered with heat lamps in the winter). They are really good about reservations for big parties - it's our go-to happy hour spot for work! read more

Very disappointed. The worse food I've had in a while. I had the open face quesadillas. Pretty awful. It was at best a tostada with some over done chicken bites and sprinkled cheeses. No where near a quesadillas which should be soft and melted cheese. I had an horchata drink and couldn't finish it it was made from a box mix and as it sat in the glass it disintegrated. The street corn was ok and the guac oh well. Left hungry and sad. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing ... Service was good. Waiter friendly. read more

We have talked about brunching at Centro for years, but we had never made it until yesterday. Absolutely fantastic. Out party of 6 all lives our dishes. Guacamole and crispy cauliflower appetizers, all scored a 10. All the entrees where fantastic, all big portions and delicious. Look forward to returning. read more

Centro has great food, atmosphere, and service. I especially love their margaritas and street corn (two items I tend to judge Mexican restaurants off of because they are my favorite items). It is upscale without being pretentious and is a go-to spot when I have guests visiting and for date night with my boyfriend. I have to admit that I was a bit turned off after a couple experiences here but have since had a major change of heart. read more

This place had amazing build-your-own taco boards and the guac was excellent! The only downside was they only brought four tortillas for two boards and we had to request more. The corn was excellent as well! Definitely will be eating here every visit to Boulder! read more

Centro Mexican Kitchen - Carnitas al Pastor taco board Baja fish taco board - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Delicious food, great service, and a really nice outdoor covered heated patio!

The new chef this year changed the menu. I feel the food has gone down a bit since before, and many of the amazing dishes they had have disappeared. The queso is still good, but is now a smaller portion for the same price which... kind of sucks. read more

All around poor experience. After being seated, we were asked to move tables. There was a man at the bar right near our table watching some sort of sports on his phone, screaming at the top of his lungs. This went on for 15 minutes, and the restaurant management did nothing to ask him to stop screaming or anything despite the clearly begrudged customers. After placing our order for guacamole and the salsa sampler, the guacamole came out and later came out a different appetizer from the salsa sampler that we ordered. We said something to our waiter who said that he would bring out our correct order. 10 minutes passed and when we put in our order for our entrees, we had to again remind our waiter to please correct our appetizer order. As a vegetarian, when ordering entrees, I asked our waiter if the tortilla soup was vegetarian. He confirmed that it was, so I ordered it. Upon the food coming, I go to stir the soup and find what looked to be meat in it. The two others that I was dining with tried it, and they had no doubt that it was definitely meat in the soup. When the waiter stopped by, I asked if it was for sure vegetarian, to which he continued to insist that it was. He said that he confirmed it with multiple members of the waitstaff that the soup was vegetarian, so we asked to speak to a manager. When she came over and I showed her what was obviously meat, she confirmed that it was. The manager offered to replace it with something else, but by this point, because of the waiter incorrectly insisting that the soup was vegetarian, the other members of my party were close to finishing so I declined it to be replaced. When the waiter brought out our bills, guess what, he still charged me for the soup. I went straight to the manager this time to fix the issue, and she comped the soup and the appetizers. However, when the waiter then ran our cards, he AGAIN charged us for the soup. Needless to say, this terrible experience will certainly mean that we will not be coming back, and I urge anybody that is trying to get Mexican food in the boulder area to go to one of the many other great restaurants (T/aco, bartaco, etc.) read more

Great atmosphere, fabulous creative food and very vegetarian friendly; fast attentive service! Highly recommended!

Centro Mexican Kitchen was recommended by someone local and was a great choice. We were there on a Sunday night and due to a staff shortage they weren't seating people at tables without a reservation. However we were able to sit outside at the bar and order dinner. We had GUACAMOLE and chips for a start and they were excellent. We followed that with CRISPY DOUBLE DECKER TOSTADA, also delicious. For a drink I had a BAJITO which was very refreshing. Probably the best Mexican food we have had. Wait staff was very friendly. Definitely a place to return to. read more

Listen, I LOVE mexican/latin food so I still go here occasionally but it brings up the rear on mexican/latin options in Boulder. There are many many better options. That said, they do well with the avocado salsa and the queso. Their entrees change all the time and are hit and miss. The outdoor patio is wonderful for margaritas and a couple of appetizers but if you want good mexican food, I'd hit up their next door neighbor, Bar Taco or a couple of places on Walnut such as T/Aco or the Rio (best margs in town). read more

Awesome place. Great vibes, music and a really authentic atmosphere. Employees had a great attitude. Try the chilaquiles. read more