Outside doesn't look like much but it's got a clean nice interior with fantastic authentic Mexican and delicious large margaritas. Only downside is the low CPD (calories per dollar) read more

Good free mushroom salsa! Great service and food was delicious. Always our favorite stop when we come to Grand J

Maybe four stars is a little much, given the humble stature of this little urban dive, but the food screams quality. The seasoning of the Carnitas was outstanding. The Verde sauce knocked me out. Not smothered in cheese. Salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, rice, beans, all excellent. You cannot get Mexican food this good in Rochester New York, where I'm from. read more

Getting into Grand Junction late and wanting a good Mexican meal. Husband found this on Google, looked at the ratings and decided to go. So glad we did. Fast & friendly very clean. I ordered Chrissy chili rellano, cheese enchilada and a pork tostada. It was so good, beans best I've had in a very long time. DH ordered chicken Mole. He said it was great and he wishes we had that by our house in Arkansas. read more

El Tapatio - Tostada, Chrissy chili rellano, pot tostadas, rice & beans - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

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Great Mexican food...amazing Michelada's!! I loved that during the pandemic, I could get one to go

I'm not a huge Mexican food fan. I'm a relative newbie to the food-genre. That style of cuisine is not big where I'm from (Maine) so my immersion into its cheesey/beany/ricey goodness has been slow and I've been admittedly hesitant about it. I am hesitant no longer after an awesome trip to El Tapatio (tap-ah-tee-oh.) When we pulled up, I was worried because the joint actually had a drive-through. But hey, i thought, when in Rome! You can always tell how a mexican restaurant will be based on their salsa...this experience started scrumtralescently. I had a "tapatio grande" which was...grande. Choose three entree items. I went chile relleno, chalupa and an enchilada. DELICIOUS. The lady had a mole burrito, which she loved top to bottom and side to side. The margaritas were also delicious! Just a great experience, fun decor, great people working and eating, just a fun time all around. It came highly recommended by a local and I can totally understand why. If you're in Grand Junction, go! read more

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Really enjoyed our lunch there. Service was top notch. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. The manager turned on a space heater when we sat down not far from the door. So we were nice and warm. I had the carne asada. This was a skirt steak - very thin. It was SO flavorful - it seemed to have been marinated and was tender. It was a big piece, but I had no trouble eating it all. The beans were creamy and tasted home cooked, which I appreciate! This is a little thing - but it shows their deep level of care. I had asked for corn tortillas and my husband wanted flour tortillas. They brought one straw basket. I thought maybe we got all of one kind. But - no - they had interlaced them (one corn, one flour, one corn, one flour, one corn, one flour). Such a nice touch. I got mine, and my husband's was up next. As everyone seems to agree - the cabbage salsa is excellent. It was great on chips, but a little dab on a bite of beans or steak really made them sing! read more

El Tapatio - Carne asada lunch - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

Wow, this place is so good. Definitely the best fajitas and guacamole I've ever had. If you're ever passing through this is the place to go!

The first time I stepped foot into this joint my life changed immensely. The vibes in there are like no other and they treat you like family. The food is some of the best Mexican in the valley and they make it quick! I downloaded a couple good songs that I heard while on a lunch date with my lady the other day. I scarfed down my enchiladas like a wild chimpanzee (baby)! Would recommend this place to anyone looking for a Grade A Mexican food experience ....bleh read more

Their door and their online hours say they close at 10. We got there at 9 and my sister and her husband went in before us. When my husband and I got to the door it was locked. My sister asked them to let us in and they refused. Finally a man let us in and was clearly not happy about it. I asked him what was going on and why they were closed at 9 and all he said was "we close at 9" in an irritated tone. We sat for awhile and no one came to serve us so we left. Really bad experience read more

Very upsetting that this restaurant did not remove the two, over-weight, drunk women screaming profanities at a mom and her child while eating dinner. The women were loud, crude and screaming b/c the mom asked them nicely to stop using the F word. I will not dine here again. The focus has not been up to par anyway and I will not support a business who allows this type of behavior. This is why chipotle dues better than a family business! read more

Food: Amazing! I got the vegetarian super burrito and it blew me away! Margaritas: HUGE!!! I got the house Cadillac Marg and could barely finish it. Chips and salsa, plus house dip: Amazing! Chips had a toasted taste and I had to ask for a second batch. With all of that said... Terrible service. I waited my whole meal for my waiter to bring me a glass of water. He was too busy tending to the table of three men on the patio blowing smoke from their 'cigs' in another parties direction. I watched them get numerous tequila shots my whole meal as I simply waited for my water. He never once stopped by my table during the meal. Long story short: good food, Margs are top-notch in size and alcohol content, chips and salsa are great. Do not come here if you plan to be seated quickly and taken care of as a customer. read more

El Tapatio - Chips are to die for! - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

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Great service, great drinks, great food. Not my favorite mexican food spot but was filling and had great flavor!

I will give 5 star because 1. Great food 2. Great deals 3. Great place 4. Great ambient 5. Overall great people Try it, love it, come back read more

Legit Mexican food! Such good food! Amazing margaritas, (see photo)! Awesome booze selection. Food came 10 minutes after ordering! Very good service! Would definitely eat here again. read more

UPDATE 1/18/18: I don't live in GJ anymore but I come here every 2-3 days when I'm in town. Still the BEST Mexican food I've had in 15-20 years. Don't miss the tacos, carne asada, chili rellino or tamale. My FAVORITE Mexican food restaurant! And I've eaten at as many Mexican places as possible across Colorado, New Mexico, California, Texas and Oklahoma... Both the Asada and Carnitas tacos are amazing... Squeeze the lime on them and top with some of sauce they bring out. The Carne Asada plate is the best I've had! The combo plate with a tamale and a soft chile rellino is awesome. Tell them to put red sauce on the rellino and green chile on the tamale or they will put red on both. Much better with green on the tamale :) I'm not big on the rice and beans at most places but they are absolutely perfect here! Mix them together a bit, pour some of the incredible salsa on top and eat with chips. Mmmmmm.... I've just finished my plate as I'm writing this and I'm already looking forward to my next visit!!!!! Enjoy! :) read more

El Tapatio - Asada and Carnitas tacos... Yum!! - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

I'm a little surprised that this place is so highly rated. It's very crowded, by design, not by guest count. The entrees were good but certainly not great. We asked for salsa that was less spicy and it was abundantly clear that they literally took the same salsa and added ketchup to it. Even before the ketchup it was mediocre salsa. Bland and boring. It's the only restaurant I've been to in ages that doesn't have free drink refills. Nothing stood out as a reason to return. read more

Great Mexican lunch. Just arrived in Grand Junction and I found this place on Yelp. You get this cabbage slaw with the chips and salsa, that is very interesting. Food, service and cleanliness were all up to par. Give it a try read more

This was great service and very fast ! The food was good and very large portion sizes, affordable and friendly . I would Go back again, they have a large section of choices read more

Food was sub par, but the worst was the actual service, it was non existent, and when I get served, they guy forgot a things I asked for and never checked back for a refill of my water or another beer with my dinner. The final straw was when I reflected the poor service in the tip. It was only later, when I looked at my bank card statement did I noticed the waiter had changed the tip amount to cover his intentionally poor tip. read more

Nice restaurant. The service is good. The food excellent. Drinks are incredible. I really liked that place.

In town from Texas, had higher expectations for a Mexican restaurant. The food the restaurant offers, lays more under the Tex-Mex category rather than authentic Mexican food. That being said, though, the shrimp cocktail that my cousin ordered was watery, warm and lacked flavor. The bloody mary I ordered, tasted watered down and the shrimp enchiladas were inadequate. I think a place like this caters more for the non-poc audience who wants to try ~ethnic cuisine. Service was good, but won't be coming back. read more

Best Mexican food in the Grand Valley! Wide variety, authentic Mexican and my fav, although we LOVE it all, are the Crispy Chile Rellenos!! NO ONE MAKES THEM BETTER!! Excellent service as well!! Restaurant on the small side, but very clean & colorful design!! PLEASE DON'T EVER CHANGE YOUR MENU OR MOVE!! read more

At first, this place looked very skeptical but we were so glad we tried this place. The food was very authentic and there was a large variety of choices. The service was great too, especially Belen she was such a great server. Certainly recommend the burritos and fajitas. Their guacamole and queso was a must try. They also have several special drinks and you should definitely have the red bull margarita. They alo have fried ice cream and so many good desserts. Certainly best place to stop at grand junction. read more

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So delicious! Their portions are pretty large so I can have leftovers once and sometimes twice. They have a ridiculously long list of tequilas on hand if you're in the mood for a margarita - I've never seen such a long list at a Mexican restaurant! Also, to start your meal off, they bring complimentary chips and two different salsas. The traditional tomato salsa is very tasty and not too hot; the other salsa is made of tomatoes, shredded cabbage, jalapenos, and some type of liquid - probably lime? It's my favorite. I can't get enough of it! My favorite entree is the enchiladas la crema - which is a creamy tomato sauce on chicken enchiladas. They serve most entrees with a delicious cabbage slaw, refried beans, and Spanish rice - which are all really tasty. Their menu is quite extensive, here's a link: http://www.tapatiorestaurants.com/menu2.gif although that doesn't appear to be up-to-date since my entree isn't on there and the cheese dip is now jokingly called "cheese deep." Ha, try not to laugh when you order it - it's a delicious queso blanco. Give it a try! We're from Texas and after spending the summer in Denver we were pretty disappointed in Mexican food, but this place has turned out to be not only the best in Grand Junction and Colorado, but quite possibly the best I've ever had. The desserts always look ridiculously awesome, but I'm always way too stuffed to dream of ordering it... read more

I don't even like mexican, but this place has always been great. You have to try two things for sure. One, the chicken taquitos, and two, the unusual cabbage salsa that they give you with chips. I still crave it. Another great thing about this place is the seating. Tall backed boothes give each party a slightly secluded feel which is a definite plus. If I'm in Grand Junction, this is one of only three places I would choose to eat, and I've had about everything in that town. read more

Loved the dinner here: Chicken mole with black beans and rice, sliced avocado extra ($2.25) worth every penny. (15$ for the pollo) Hubby had camarones a la plancha. ($16~) also delicious butterflied shrimp with grilled mushrooms and he subbed black beans also. His came with guacamole which was made just right. Starter chips were good with a very good salsa and another wonderful bowl of pickled cabbage lightly spiced with green chilies and pico de gallo. Staff was outstanding from the nice gentleman who greeted us and didn't bat an eye when we asked to be moved to the other side of the small dining room with high booths because two tables both had impatient toddlers who were starting to murmur prior to erupting as we were seated. Parents on one table were allowing the "fork on porcelain plate" (a steady drumming) distraction. No musical aptitude unfortunately. The waitress Belen was all smiles and always attentive. Total bill was $36. Worth every penny. read more

Whoa was I surprised by this place! I went in expecting run-of-the-mill Mexican, but this place really steps it up a notch. I had enchiladas that were possibly the most flavorful I have ever had. I didn't even eat much of my rice and beans because I wanted to save room so I could eat all of them! The standard-issue chips and salsa were very addicting, the salsa seemed homemade. The margaritas were strong also. It was a little more expensive that I normally pay for a Mexican place, but I think it was worth it. Quick service and delicious food makes this place a must-see for Grand Junction. read more

Huge news! El Tap has redecorated! See photos. It was packed last night (Good Friday) and they REALLY need to find a way to expand their parking lot. Maybe they could buy the Arby's next door and tear it down. I tried one of the $5.99 lunch specials, and it was great. My friend had a vegetarian meal and was very pleased. They do pescado dorado correctly here. They actually had Camarones Mojo de Ajo (shrimp in garlic sauce) as a $5.99 lunch special the other day. That's insane for that price. It was delicious. read more

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This was by far the worst Mexican food I have ever eaten. Poor quality ingredients that are over cooked and then drowned in oil, enchilada sauce, and cheese. The margaritas tasted like they were made with lime-aid. This is a bad bad place :( read more

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm. A friend and I came through town a few weeks ago.I was very happy with my meal. We both were. I ordered carne tacos, with rice and beans. For drink I had a Patron margarita. The drink very good and was poured heavy (which I like.) The tacos were not bad, but I have had better. Now onto the rice and beans... THESE. wow. I want just a plate of rice and beans next time. Great job guys! I will come back when I am in town. read more

I was honestly very surprised by El Tapatio. My boyfriend and I were heading on our way out of town (after he had finished up a round of golf and was h.u.n.g.r.y.) so I pulled this up on Yelp and it had decent reviews/was easy to get to. I ended up getting what a pretty great combination plate. I got a crispy chile relleno and a bean and beef tostada. All of it came with a salad/pico combination that was very tasty. My boyfriend got a burrito and it was jam packed full of pork! He was very happy. The only chang I wished for on my dish were black beans instead of refried beans, and my boyfriend had wished there was some green chile on the inside of his burrito. We also split a margarita. We asked and they put some orange liqour in the marg, which made it extra tasty. read more

My favorite place to sit down with a margarita (they always seem to be a little on the stout side, but I'm certainly okay with that) and munch on some great mexican food. Both the GeeJ and Fruita locations sport the same quality and flavor. To begin your excellent dining experience, their salsas are better than great. They're not just filler by any means, they actually have a lot going on. Personally I could eat just about anything on the menu and be ridiculously happy, but most of the time, if I'm not sharing my plate, I want to stay on a bit of a budget. To do that, I generally order an array of different tacos (that are all superbly amazing) with a side of rice and beans, even still, I end up with left overs. Their more signature platters can be a bit on the pricy side, but it's pretty worth it. Just grab someone to share with and get that fiesta groove goin'. p.s. They even have a drive-thru window for their GeeJ location. read more

This is my probably my favorite Mexican place in town. It's food is much more authentic than at a lot of the other places and their margaritas are strong and fresh. Service is always really fast and friendly, and they're usually moderately busy but I've never had to wait for a table. The prices are great and portions are enormous! Decor is Mexican but not overwhelming, and they even have a patio. They always play traditional Mexican music and I love the cabbage salsa stuff they bring with your chips and salsa. Delicious! read more

El Tapatio - Some of the best margaritas in town! - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

This is a great place! Super Margarita's. The food is excellent served by friendly efficient staff. Very quaint little spot. Victor was our fantastic waiter. Highly recommend! read more

Went to El Tapatio for dinner based on Yelp reviews. Was not disappointed. I had the Chile Verde, pork in a green chile sauce and was great. Huge plate! Pam had the special tacos and she raved about them. One beef and one pork. Interesting all the meat in our meals were cubed as apposed to pulled, as in pulled beef or pulled pork. Service was excellent and our waitress was not shy about telling us what is good or not. read more

I had the chipotle enchiladas and they were good. Not as spicy as i thought it would be but it did hit me later. My coworker had the chicken burrito and she said it was awesome! I'll have to come back to try the carnitas! I would recommend it to a friend. read more

The Best Mexican Food! We came here on Vacation to see Co. National Monument Park (amazing) We ate here on a recommendation from a local, great advice. I had a crispy chili rellanos, first one ever made that way, was absolutely delicious! My husband had Beef Fajitas, really good, he raved about the rice and beans, which he usually doesn't even eat, he finished them off. Loved, loved, loved the salsa and guacamole. Great service, very attentative staff. read more

El Tapatio - The Best Mexican Food El Tapatio! Grand Junction, Colorado - Mexican Near Me - Grand Junction, Colorado

It doesnt look like the best place from the outside. But it is the best food ever, the burgers and tacos were out of this world. Go here extremely hungry because their plates are huge and the food is very filling. Please like my review!:::::))))) read more

Me and a friend visited this restaurant last weekend while staying in Grand Junction. The food was very authentic and delicious, and the portions were large. We had a "handmade" Margarita on the rocks, which was not from a mix. It was delicious and refreshing. For dinner, we both had the pork enchiladas with green sauce, rice and beans. I would eat there all the time if I lived there. read more