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    Nopalito's

    4.7 (161 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Nopalito's Photos

    NOPALITO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Nopalito's

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    Jennifer V.

    Okay--we were surprisingly disappointed with this place. It has phenomenal reviews online. And we were under the impression that this place was economical--but wrong! It was as pricey as if we would have gone to a big restaurant with moderate prices. So the pricing was a shocker, and the food was very underwhelming. My husband couldn't even finish his nachos because they were super soggy. The chicken was meh--no real flavor. So nothing really stood out. Other than that the restaurant was very clean, including restrooms. There was plenty of parking in front of the building. The staff are super friendly and attentive. Other than that-meh.

    Food area - like chipotle or qdoba
    Jessica A.

    This place should take over chipotle. It's the same idea but like a million times better + they have Tuesday and Thursday late night happy hour with BOGO house margs + every night late night free chips and salsa with any alcohol purchase?? Such a good deal. This was the best burrito I've had in years probably. The margs were also really good - the classic was especially strong. The employees were all really nice, a decent amount of tables, and really clean inside which is always important.

    Raymond J.

    Never heard of this place but drive by all the time. Looking for something quick but didn't want five guys or Panera that was next door. I was impressed by the number of people and friendly staff. Really great tasting tacos. Had the fish taco and shrimp taco. Bigger than Torchy's. I'd say a more limited menu. Good experience and I'd be back for sure

    Happy hour prices expire!?
    Ken M.

    Great food service! Great food quality! But beware at the bar. Happy hour prices going away because you close your tab after happy hour ends (but ordered during happy hour) and your bill goes up is wild.

    Quesadilla with fajitas
    Vinny E.

    Great service, casual setting, awesome theme, wholesome and fresh food. Our visit was welcoming and delicious.

    Menu
    Donna C.

    Fast casual Mexican food that is worth checking out. Order at the counter and they bring your order to the table. A full bar for those interested in more than food.

    Lunch is served
    Matt C.

    My wife and I popped into Nopalito's for the first time just a few weekends ago while we were running errands in the area. I had come across them on Yelp previously. We both love Mexican food, so figured what the heck let's give them a go?! Walking in is comparable to walking into a Chipotle-esque, order-at-the-counter set up. The key difference is that they boast a full bar with bar seating, and well, they're truly LOCAL. Cool art murals on the walls tying into the luchador-themed restaurant. I wasn't all that hungry (for once in my life), yet as soon as my wife began her order I was like, screw it I'm here let's get something. I usually judge these types of places by their burritos, however that sounded very filling looking at other patrons dishes inside the restaurant. I opted for a quesadilla and it turned out to be an excellent choice! Grilled Asada Quesadilla // comes with your choice of white or wheat tortilla, plus the meat, cheese and veggies of your desire. I got mine with guac and pico on the side. I have to admit, it was awesome. I feel like quesadillas can be fairly basic, but the meat was tender and seasoned well. We also enjoyed the chips and queso. We like to consider ourselves queso aficionados and we both found theirs to be enjoyable. A little on the runnier side for our liking, but it thickened up the more it sat. Overall, a great meal! Nopalito's should be on your hit list for a fast casual bite when you're not looking for anything fancy. Everything hit the spot, the portions were great, and I felt like the food was priced appropriately. Definitely coming back!

    Chicken Flautas and a margarita on the patio
    Tammy S.

    I needed a quick lunch in the area and had never been here before, so I decided to give it a try. The staff is super friendly and accommodating, the seating outside is a little close together but it's nice to have the outdoor choice with a view of the mountains over the parking lot. I ordered chicken flautas, which I never get, and I liked having choices of sauces and other sides - even if there is a charge for some. They were hot and tasty. The bonus to Nopalitos besides the staff being so lovely is that I also got a margarita and it was refreshing and well balanced. The bar was a nice surprise because who doesn't want the option of a cold margarita on a hot day? I will definitely go back and try other things.

    Wall over counter, nice mural

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

    Pretty good food! Atmosphere was great. Watched a hockey game while I ate a burrito it was a good day. Service, everyone was friendly.

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

    Burritos are amazing, as well as the churros. I order my co workers and mine as well. Hits the spot every time. Dining in is even better!

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

    They have amazing food with affordable prices. They also have a fun atmosphere and great happy hour.

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    Decent food, friendly service. The space is fun with lots of room. Reasonably priced.

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    Dora G.

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    5 months ago

    Great fish tacos, fresh ingredients and an owner who actually knows a thing or two about customer service! Keep it up!

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    6 months ago

    Fun vibe, great food and very friendly service. Margs were awesome. Randomly found it, first time in and I'll definitely go back.

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Love it! Good breakfast burritos and tasty quesadillas with good salsa and quac. Delicious margs.

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I've become a lunchtime regular here when I'm in Boulder. It's a refined Qdoba; similar ordering and serving formula but a little nicer.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Truly one of my favorite places in all of Boulder. Great portions, tasty food and drinks!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Nopalito's

    Are there gluten free options?

    Yes, There is corn tacos soft & hard shell, bowls, lot of ingredients that are gluten free. Chicken, pork, beef and barbacoa are all gluten free. Thank you for reaching out.

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Yes, but must be on a leash.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Cozobi Fonda Fina

    4.7
    (84 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    I would definitely recommend the Guacamole A Las Brasas. My daughter loved it so much she ate the…read morewhole guacamole herself!! The Taco de Pastor is also good with a toasted mini pineapple. The pork neck meat was delicious . The service was incredibly good, out of this world. The server was kind and helpful. We sat outside and loved the environment. No flies or bugs, surprisingly. And only a 10 minute wait.

    My husband and I live in southern California and initially wasn't excited to eat at what our local…read morefriend classified as an "upscale Mexican" restaurant. I'm quite the foodie and cook for multiple friend groups so I was skeptical. When we walked in on a Tuesday evening near closing time, I noticed the Bib Gourmand plaque on the wall, mention of Michelin star sister restaurant, Alma and at least 6 parties still seated. Let's talk about the food now. Our party of 3 ordered alot which included: -camote (that ricotta and fennel pairing-oh my!), -caesar salad (huge portion and the BEST I've ever had; even better than any tableside caesar) -yellowtail carpaccio (many renditions of this in LA, but this made me want to eat the whole plate and slurp the sauce!) -tostada (incredible. I wanted more) -carne asada taco (divine cut of meat, hands down the best I've had), --- -pork taco (my husband ordered it and said it was the best he's had) -red snapper (I've had this all over Baja Mexico w very fond memories, but THIS one was a tip the bowl kind of dish) cooked to perfection w abeautiful flavors in the sauce. - mushroom entree. (ordered by our friend, and had a few bites. This dish was way larger than I expected! it looked like a garden box of shrooms. Flavors were delightful. We finished every crumb on our plate. I was extremely surprised with every dish we had, as I found myself swooning into another dimension of pleasure and slight jealousy with every bite. I haven't been WOWED by Mexican flavors at all (in LA or OC ), but only since my trip to Tulúm. I can taste the intention of each flavor combination, freshness of the corn, I really can go on and on. I can still remember being impressed beyond belief, and saying out loud, "THIS is what I want Mexican food to taste like". Prices were so reasonable. Entree portions were hefty and fullfilling. Staff was friendly and knowledgable about the menu and brand story. Hoping and wishing that one day they'll open up a location? chef's kiss to this place. Will try Alma and others when back in CO.

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

    Centro Mexican Kitchen

    3.8
    (834 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegetarian friendly

    My friends and I were in town and after a long day of travel we decided to explore and find…read moresomewhere to eat and damn did this place hit the spot! Very vibey in terms of its location, decor, and lively atmosphere. The four of us were sat inside at a big booth (though the patio looked delightful so maybe next time). We were all starving to put an immediate order in for the salsa flight and queso. Loved all of the above. We also put in a big pitcher of their house marg, spicy version. I thought those to be good too - not overly sweet. As for entres, the steak tacos were incredible. I was really impressed with the cut and cook of the steak. Prepared so well. And let me tell you they don't short you one portions. The taco orders come with griddled tortillas, long grain rice, cabbage escabeche, and salsa. I left full and very satisfied.

    We brought a big group here and what a disappointment. There are so many better places in Boulder…read moreto go too. We sat, half of the water glasses were dirty, the water pitchers that were filled with water were dirty. When I say dirty, crusted food food from previous patrons.. We ordered apps for the table, the basics, guac, salsa and queso. The queso is disgusting, its some type of of watered down fake cheese thing, the guac was not bad, but needed salt and the presentation was odd. The chips and salsa were fine, nothing to write home about. Half of the team ordered mocktails and the other ordered cocktails, I am not sure anyone liked what they ordered. I ordered the hibiscus mocktail thing, it was not good. It came out pretty, but the flavor was odd and I think it was missing the topochico. Most of the team ordered the tacos, they came deconstructed which was neat, the people who got shrimp had burnt shrimp. I ordered the birria and it was fine. I think they messed up 2-3 of the orders. Service was okay, would not go again with a large group. (9-10 people). They have GF options marked on the menu, its pretty limited.

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    Large Group Friendly
    Large Group Friendly
    Crispy Baja Fish Taco Board
    Crispy Baja Fish Taco Board
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    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria

    Tierra y Fuego Taqueria

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    3.0 mi

    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.

    This is the best food in North Boulder. Everything is extremely fresh and made to order, very…read moreauthentic and seasoned perfectly. All of the tortillas, chips, sauces and salsas are handmade. Honestly the chips are addicting! I had the burrito bowl, my son had the street tacos and my husband had the burrito. All were awesome. Don't forget to try the churros too! I would eat here every day if I could.

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    Aftermath of chilaquiles
    Aftermath of chilaquiles
    Chips, rice & beans and huarache  & taco.
    Chips, rice & beans and huarache & taco.
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    Santo

    Santo

    4.0
    (301 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$

    Another fun evening at Santo for Happy Hour. We were there early enough to get our favorite seats…read morein the roomy big area along the east wall. Plenty of table space to lay out all of our food and drink choices at once to browse. My husband chose a dark lager and I had my fave Jamaica Agua Fresca, house made. We chose newer items we love though our old faves are still around too. Tonight we had the media lunas, the bbq wings and the pork adovada nachos which has quite a kick. Turns out, this was a huge portion for happy hour but we know these items travel well so we brought them home to finish tomorrow. It's always so much fun here, the staff is friendly and more than competent. The other diners tend to be friendly and those wanting to avoid the children in this family friendly spot in north Boulder can get their seats at the cool bar with so many options to drink and a staff of knowledgeable bartenders.

    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.

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    Efrain's of Boulder Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

    Efrain's of Boulder Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

    3.9
    (515 reviews)
    0.3 mi
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    I had been to the Lafayette location more than a decade ago and never returned. It simply did not…read moresuit me at all. I recently saw that a different family group operated this one in a very convenient part of Boulder so I decided to give it a try. A favorite classic family run restaurant with a similar menu had closed in 2014 after being in operation for 20 years. We missed that sort of menu. This is it, all the way to type of sopapillas and the classic plates with rice and beans , sauce and melted cheese. The family appeal carries through from hosts to servers to clearing staff. The menu is large though it appears that most only vary by central item. The entrees all come with the same sides and a sauce. Next time I will ask for light sauce as it pretty much buried my tamales. They need to stand out and shine and I love the taste of masa. The server was right on the spot with our drinks and we had a comfortable and clean booth. Chips and salsa were at the table as we were seated. They are plainer than some in town but still fresh and classic and free, just like Casa Alvarez, our old classic. The place was buzzing with customers young and old a perfect place for a comfortable and swiftly served meal. The space filled up quickly and though they have an enclosed patio and an open patio, not a soul for takers including us, on a 30° degree evening with a "breeze" so there was a line for tables as we left. We'll be back in a warmer weather and customize our plates a bit. It's friendly and filling and for anyone. And easy on the wallet too. Nice to have a family friendly spot like this in an easy to park shopping center with McGuckins in the lead.

    Since changing locations, the portion sizes are significantly smaller, with incredible price…read moreincreases. The economy is not at total fault for the portion sizes and increased costs. And the quality has decreased substantially, comparing this to the former location. Overall, so disappointing!!!!! Service has certainly gone downhill, as there seems to be entitlement involved. The servers attitudes have also gone the wrong way. The ambiance has certainly gone away!!!!

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    Bar at Efrain's
    Bar at Efrain's
    Street Street Style Tacos (3)
    Street Street Style Tacos (3)
    Enclosed patio was pleasant.

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    Enclosed patio was pleasant.
    Wapos

    Wapos

    4.1
    (142 reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    Jean today was the best! First time at this North Boulder restaurant and it was tasty! Location is…read moreright off Broadway in a cool Boho art district thing. Other shops around too and they have a nice big patio, and a cool bar window table thing! Interior is best described as beach house which is a cool vibe on a sunny day. Lots of beer and drink options and happy hour, I just got a Tecate after my hike but I'll try a Marg next! They have a lot of options food wise but I went conservative with a chicken smothered burrito and enjoyed it! I'd recommend getting the sour cream and guac, and I got some rice on the side too. Free chips & salsa which is awesome! Everything tasted homemade and filling, and the sauces were flavorful with a zing but not overly spicy. Jean was very nice and service was great, very fast and attentive. Can't wait to go again and try something new!

    What an awesome spot. Authentic food, kind staff and great service. The patio has heat lamps and is…read moredog friendly which is awesome. It's so cute. Tucked away right by the mountains. Overall the food was great. The chili verde burrito was the perfect amount of spice and the carnitas were awesome. Fajitas were great, incredible flavor and the shrimp was delicious. The only thing that wasn't great was the queso. It was practically flavorless so we mixed it with salsa which helped a ton. Overall great experience and we will definitely be back.

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    Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

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    3.3
    (684 reviews)
    1.3 mi
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    Sunday early afternoon on the rooftop was a nice experience. Not too busy and two of us were seated…read moreright away and our waiter was quick and attentive. We started with a couple of tasty Big Tex Margaritas made with Cuervo tradicional silver, orange liqueur, fresh squeezed citrus. Lunch included fresh guacamole with crispy warm chips, baked Chile Rellenos, carnitas tacos with a side of rice and black beans. The Rellenos were topped with spicy green chili sauce and were delicious. The tacos were a bit dry but better with picante sauce. Overall it was a pleasant experience and we'll be back.

    Based upon the other reviews I had low expectation, but I was pleasantly surprised. I am always…read morelooking for a good chili relleno, this one didn't disappoint. Fresh, hot, crisp, and flavorful. The tortilla soup was fantastic. They have a great verity of Margaritas and the atmosphere is open and with a modern Mexican restaurant vibe. The service was a bit off, maybe that contributes to their lower overall average review. They are pretty busy and prob rely on CU for a lot of their staff, so have a bit of patience and you may enjoy a decent meal.

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    Nopalito's - mexican - Updated June 2026

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