The service was so great on the other hand the silence was deafening. Hearing each spoon enter the different salsas was so unnerving it caused me AND my children to lose our appetite. When we finally found solace in the bathroom we were greeted by a fully broken and exposed toilet and sauce bottles for soap. I would love to be able to bring my family back to this wonderful place however these issues need to be addressed by someone who can do something about it. read more

Pete's on Pearl St this afternoon, Kahliff as always took my order with a smile and reminded me why I love that Illegal Pete's location. I've been eating there since it opened and the service from the line to bar is why. David read more

Really enjoyed my Chorizo breakfast burrito with guac (extra). Includes eggs, potatoes, salsa. The burrito with tip was under $9. I love how you can customize your meal and its super fast and fresh. They have some outdoor tables which is perfect to soak in the sun. Definitely would come back again when I am in town! read more

If it's not broken don't fix it! Why the massive changes in the food prep? Our family have been loyal Pete's patrons for 20+ years-it's one of the few places that has something everyone likes. No more. Grilled meat is a must and a no brainer! The new system of cooking the meat leaves much to be desired. And why change the rice and beans? I just don't get it. So sad. Please go back to the way things have been done for decades. Obviously it was working given all the new locations. read more

A friend & I were stopping by this place to get our late dinner. It was Ok!! I got a burrito bowl. This was 1st visit at Illegal Pete's. I didn't realize that it similar to Chipotle or Qdoba. Overall, it an OK place to hangout. read more

Tacos were pretty tasty and service is quick. Can make a pretty loaded vegan taco. Gave me the poops really bad though read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

They need to STOP serving (mixing, scooping, spooning) food toppings with their hands!! It doesn't matter if they're wearing gloves if they bounce from one burrito to the next with handfuls food. Many of the toppings have spoons, why don't they all? Whether for sanitary reasons, health reasons, dietary preferences, or unwanted flavor mixing, it just shouldn't occur, ever! As a side note.... Illegal Pete's should make in person orders a priority and not leave half started bowls to go cold as their team fills delivery orders! read more

Never done this before but the bartender working the closing shift 2/29/24 was a real jerk to us. Not cool.

I used to go to the location on the hill over 20 years ago when it was the only location probably 3X a week and it was perfection, never a letdown! This current version on Pearl has twice now been a huge disappointment. The simple fact is that the Staff here fails to move the line. Even when there isn't one. I was the second person in line tonight and walked out after waiting 8-12 minutes without advancing. All the food is put in front of the Staff to easily construct the burritos and for whatever reason, they just fail to get 'er done. I was hesitant to go since I was so disappointed the first time, but nostalgia begged me to give them a second chance, absolutely never again! In short, Staff is horrible and absolute failures. read more

This is my nacho review - Flavor: 3.5/5 - Topping to chip ratio: 2/5 (not enough cheese,) - Topping to topping ratio: 3/5 - Cheese: 3/4 (queso) - Execution: 1.5/5 (soggy) - Ease: 1.5/5 (large chunks of pork, in bowl, hard to grab ) Actual rating: 3.5 read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Nachos with pork - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Tiny place & not that great. Food was cold. Assembly line like a Chipotle so it IS cheap. But kind of a seedy crowd as well. No thanks.

Very comparable to Chipotle when it comes to the food, but no where near the vibe. They are always playing food music and the staff are always nice. read more

Every time I decide to eat at Illegal Petes, I have an amazing experience. Their food comes out amazing everytime as they use fresh, delicious ingredients. I also love the staff who works there as they make sure my needs are taken care of whenever I come in! I would highly recommend Illegal Petes to anyone looking for some delicious mexican cuisine at an amazing price. read more

Illegal Pete's is my favorite favorite place to get a burrito it's so yummy and the potatoes are so good and they have kid sizes which is so nice and the vibe is so good read more

Cam at pearl st illegal petes is the best ever. Great conversation and knows how to make one feel like family, best vibes ever! Also the food is gas. Cam knows exactly what the people needs and provides 10/10 service. read more

We really loved the food here! It was quick and delicious, with big portion sizes! The margarita was delicious!

My partner insisted that there was no way they'd name a restaurant something as idiotic "Illegal Pete's" and not have good quality food. Looks like my partner was incorrect. Delivery was fast thought. I suppose that's a plus. read more

I had a great experience today at Illegal Pete's on pearl street! The employees put a great portion in my burrito and accepted my payment in coins! The only problem I had was the burrito was not folded very tight and it fell apart at the end of my meal. Another minor issue was that their foundation soda is very flat and watery. But overall my experience was a 4/5. read more

If being illegal is this good, call me El Chapo. Awesome place full of Boulder history and has the love of the locals for good reason. Prepare for a crowded house during most hours, good food brings good people. Really easy to order and get through the process, and the layout allows you to really customize your order. So many awesome combinations, my stomach grows envious for the next visit. Located on Pearl St so pretty easy to walk off the seven tacos and two burrito bowls you pounded because you just tried some Boulder weed and now the munchies have taken over and you're almost about to forget about writing a survey regarding their awesome food but then you dip your chip in their delicious salsa and it all comes back to you. Support local and go Illegal. read more

Couldn't resist trying out Boulder's very own burrito spot.... long lines are expected. Queso is so so good and burritos are pretty average and comparable to chipotle. They play loud music and it is definitely a college kid scene. Got a steak burrito and was not overwhelmed but it wasn't bad. Kind of slow service BONUS: they mix your burrito ingredients if you're into that read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

SO good! Great local restaurant to get burritos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, etc. Excellent location on Pearl St. near a lot of other things to do and see. Very popular among high school students(BHS is right down the street) Make sure to get there before or after lunchtime as it becomes very busy around 12. Definitely recommend it! read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - storefrony - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Arrived here for breakfast and was really quiet so walked straight up to very friendly staff who helped me get exactly what I wanted along with a cup of coffee. It's a pretty standard veggie breakfast burrito which tasted great and hit the spot. It's on Pearl St, a convenient location for everything including some retail therapy and loads of food options. I've had some average experiences with Illegal Petes in the past but this has made up for it. read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - The inside looking from the front by the entrance - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We stopped here while visiting from Ohio. Chipotle style place with a full bar and awesome vibe. Must be popular because the line was oit the door. I got a bowl with shredded beef which was excellent. I added the pork green chile which really kicked it up a notch. I liked all the ways you could customize your meal. Wishing we had these restaurants in Ohio!! read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

such great service! charlie is an amazing bartender and made the bar such fun environment! I will always be a fan of IP's on the hill!

the worst custumer service I have ever had. the cashier was mean and called my girlfriend stupid for not going the right direction. Also overcharged us. we got two meals of three tacos, and the bill ended up being 34.57$. the menu said tacos are 9.99$. Absolutely discourage anyone from eating at this place. stay away from here. read more

First time in Boulder & my friend, who's a local, insisted on eating here. Fish taco's were amazing! The burrito was "perfect"! Soapilla's we're just ok, would have been great with vanilla ice cream &/or cinnamon. The bartender made an awesome margarita! We took the food Togo & ate on the patio. read more

I order this jawn sometimes and I do it because it's gas but I really wanna know why y'all gotta put so many tomatoes in the steak. The food is that gas pack Fr but tomatoes r kinda sus w the steak I can't lie read more

Made our annual trip to Boulder last week and stopped at Illegal Pete's for lunch after finding so many of our favorite restaurants of the past are now gone from Pearl Street and the vicinity. We loved our lunch, loved the atmosphere, the customer service, everything. Honestly I like this genre of food, and there are lots of choices that are similar, but wish I had an Illegal Pete's closer to me. I loved the Coors beer battered baja fish tacos! read more

A lot if reviewers have compared this to Chipotle. That's a little harsh, but the food is similar. So let's focus on how it's not Chipotle's. Potato burritos with green chili sauce. Local beers in the bottle and on tap. Generous happy hours. Friendly if mellow staff. It was a good place to have dinner with little kids. read more

After a long a hike, I wanted to enjoy a big meal. In the outdoor shopping area in Boulder, Illegal Pete's is located on the corner of Pearl st. This establishment runs like a build your own burrito or bowl. They have tacos available that seem like a hit. The vibe is grunge style with loud alt-rock music and various stickers all around this food stop. As I walked up to order my meal, the employee making my burrito messed up my order. I didn't mind but was given the rudest reaction. The girl chucked the wrong burrito into the trash, did not say sorry, and sighed before asking a co-worker "what time is it, I need to get out of here." Im sorry I came here to eat and intruded on your day. Her reaction was horrible. the other employees weren't nice either. The food was good. I enjoyed the fajita option they had. Really good sautéd veggies. I thought the rest of the items were just fine. the steak wasn't all too warm. The salsa tasted great but poor heat for a salsa thats considered hot. Overall, the experience was poor. I thought the food was good. This type of food is found everywhere so I'm not quick to come back. 3 stars for decent food and bad service :/ read more

love this place, I come here all the time. Personally I think it's better then Chipotle. The steak they have is amazing and so is everything else. I also like how they mix up the inside of the burrito before they wrap it. Most of the time it is super fast to get your food and even with longer lines it moves quick. all the employees are super chill. I would definitely recommend. read more

Illegal Pete's is the best of the killer-burrito genre in the Boulder area. It certainly trumps Chipotle, and even though Qdoba gives it a run for its money, Pete's has an unbeatable weapon: the spoon. That spoon stirs your burrito's contents up before it is wrapped. It's simple, and genius. No more all-rice or all-beans burrito bites. Oh no. At Illegal Pete's, each delicious bite is a little meat, a little cheese, a little guac, a little rice... mmmmm... read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Logo - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Same style as chipotle but creates local individual unique atmospheres and food. I recommend the burritos or bowls but I've had, and liked other foods of theirs. Their meat is very good quality, tons of healthy and vegetarian options. The atmosphere seems to be base around attracting and being fun with locals. Lots of ads for local bands, etc, fun stickers, all sorts of stuff. They're my go-to for burritos around here. read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - The window view - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

The nephew took us here for lunch and to my surprise it was delicious! I am a sucker for knowing where my meat is raised and how it was cared for. Illegal Pete's gets their meat about 30 minutes from their restaurant. It is humanely raised and grass fed. No antibiotics or hormones involved! I really wished more restaurants switch to the farm to fork mentality. The food was great! My sister and I shared a steak salad bowl and chicken taquitos. The guac was so rich and so real. It was fresher than other places like chipotle. The green mild sauce is on fire! It has the right amount of heat and flavor. Tomorrow I plan to eat a burrito! As far as atmosphere it's like every restaurant you go to near the university. It is loud, great music, and filled with so many college kids! The service was OK not being from Colorado I would've love a little more leeway when ordering. We really wanted the full illegal experience. All in all its a perfect place to hang out and eat. Do not be afraid of the long lines they serve food fast. Max wait for us was 15 and the line was out the door. Great local flavor! read more

See all

We've been going to Illegal Pete's downtown for over 20 years. Sunday was very disappointing. We ordered two Carnitas bowls. the man did the hot stuff and passed our bowls to the cold guy. he proceeded to let our bowls sit for 9 minutes and get cold while he filled a large delivery order off his computer screen. I wouldn't have minded waiting before a delivery order but they should not have made our bowls half way and let them sit. Then the bartender took forever to get our beer as he was busy chatting. Our food was cold. I wish they had not started our order until they could finish it all the way down the line. This was at 4:00 Sunday, February 5. read more

First, food was great. However, you order your food from their app but must pay and enter a tip of 18, 20, or 24%, when you have no idea how the service will be. Unfortunately they have cut so much outside staff that you must go ask for anything you need, such as water. After we hadn't see anyone for 25 minutes after we ordered, (on a Saturday at 2:30, 96 degrees out) I walked inside, with mask on, and was treated rather rudely by the staff. All I wanted was to get our chips and salsa. After another 10 minutes we received all of our food. No one came out to check on us or ask how our meal was. Not sure I'm in agreement for the tips they offer, if all I'm doing is ordering carry out and sitting at their table read more

This place makes a great steak burrito. It was so good, aka I was so hungry, that I completely forgot to take a picture of it! I almost bought a second one when it left me wanting more, and it was not small to begin with. The tortilla was thin and I liked that about it since it is usually my pet peeve when ordering a burrito. Also, if you're into soft and delicious cookies try a white chocolate macadamia one here. read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Absolutely wonderful as always. I trek up here once a week from Downtown Denver to hike and eat breakfast at this location. The staff is amazing, the food is great and the energy is always positive. Illegal Pete's is the best. read more

Illegal Pete's - Pearl - Breakfast burrito made my way. Always so good! - Mexican Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

See all

Best burrito in Colorado. I will fight someone about it that good. Obviously my opinion but they mix the inner contents and the Barbacoa is bananas. read more

Pretty decent food but they messed up my order and and didn't honor a coupon that doesn't expire for three more months. They said the coupon was not supposed to have been printed since over a year ago but I used it two weeks ago with no problems. Also the name is pretty racist but I won't blame that on this individual location. read more