I'm a big Emilio's fan. Good luck finding anything there that's "light" or "healthy", but if you're prepared to stuff your face with some deliciously fattening Mexican food, you've found the spot. Quality-wise, the food is a couple steps up from other cheap Mexican in the area (I dream about the potato-sausage tacos...), but it's probably pretty bad for you.
In the summer, their patio has accommodated some of my weirder interactions with Colfax riff raff, and the people-watching is unparalleled. They do stiff margarita pitchers for a very reasonable price too, making this one of my favorite spots for grub on Colfax.
This place is the textbook definition of serviceable. If you're in the mood for some greasy, green-chile laden dinners and cheap margs (ask for extra limes, trust me) you've come to the right place. Menu standouts incude the breakfast burritos- any of them- smothered with cheese, carnitas and eggs, grilled tacos, chimichangas and smothered fries with steak. The servers are friendly but often stretched thin throughout the restaurant and patio, so just keep that in mind when you're trying to get it on that $1.75 Â weekend marg deal. You get what you pay for, after all.
Review Source:I went here earlier this summer, about a month and a half ago, and unfortunately did not try the $1.75 Margaritas. I have heard they are the staple for this restaurant. Â I will probably come back here for just this reason.
On the particular occasion I went here, we sat outside on the Patio. Â This turned out to be a very bad idea, as we were continuously harassed by homeless people. Â I think in the hour that we were there we were asked for money at least 3 different times. Â Unfortunately, the close proximity to a shady part of Colfax is what causes this problem. Â Next time I'll sit inside.
I ordered mahi mahi tacos, but was unimpressed when they arrived with simply just mahi mahi and nothing else in them. I mean where was the lettuce, etc.? Â But, I have to admit that my friend ordered the Chicken Enchilada plate and quite enjoyed it.
The service also really sucked this day. Â It took our waitress so long to bring us our check that I had to go inside and find her. Â I'm hoping this is not normal, or only attributed to the fact that we were sitting outside.
While this review isn't that great, I admit that  with the close proximity to my house I will probably go back here. But, next time I'll sit inside, order a cheap margarita, and go with enchiladas.  I've heard alot of good reviews, and was sad I wasn't greatly impressed.
We used to live near them and were regulars enough that they still recognize us. You just can't beat $1.75 margaritas! They're $3 other nights which is still pretty good. Their green chili is some of the best. Sometimes I get a pint to go and pour it over brown rice and chicken at home. The carne asada is amazing, the rellenos are good too. Good enough that I haven't really tried much else. My husband always gets the smothered fries- very indulgent. Now that we've moved farther away we eat at the local Mexican dive and while it's ok, I miss Superchef immensely.
Review Source:Staff, location and margaritas - oh my! For sure the three reasons I keep coming back to Emilio's. You can't beat the price, it's in the hood and I always always always get polite service!
First, the employees here are very friendly (and cute for the most part) which goes a long way even when the place is packed and the food takes some time to come out. A friendly employee does a lot to alleviate the wait time.
Speaking of food - meh. Being a picky eater when it comes to Mexican food is just how I roll. Hardly anything is as good as Grandma's cooking and this place doesn't come close. Still, it's decent and edible but nothing to call home about.
The margaritas are cheap and strong even though you can't really taste the booze. They do a good job of masking the tequila flavor but I know it's in there cuz I get a solid buzz fo sho!
Overall I like this place and wouldn't hesitate to go back. A fairly inexpensive time for the amount of food you get. A-OK. Solid. Bueno.
Went to Emilio's for the first time last night after hearing about good food and cheap margaritas. They offer a special on Monday nights, for $16 you get two combination plates and a liter of margaritas. It was more than enough food and margs to go around! The rellenos were super delicious!
As others have mentioned, the ambiance and the staff aren't anything to write home about, but for the prices, you really can't complain!
My husband and I live really close to here and I was excited to finally make it in for one of the cheap margarita nights. I found that they're strong for the price and I now definitely understand the limit of 4. The chips were greasy, but my burrito was good and it arrived quickly. The guy that bussed our table was friendly and efficient. Our server was a little slow with the water, but then the bus guy took over water duties so I don't know whose responsibility it really was. Overall, the service was way better than the last time when the staff got confused, forgot to take our order for an eternity and got my order wrong. This time we sat inside because it looked like rain and were treated to America's worst hits on the radio/ipod/whatever was playing in there. I'm going to try for outside seating from now on. Despite the issues, the food is good (even when it's wrong), the staff is friendly (even when they're slow) and the margarita's are cheap and strong (a little pungent, even). We'll be back.
Review Source:Oh, man. Â It's hard to go wrong with $1.75 margaritas ...actually, it's really easy to go wrong with $1.75 margaritas. Â Good thing they limit four. Â But for me, the limit was one. Â And barely. Â The first thing that came to mind after the first few sips (because I had to be sure) was: "toilet water".
Not that I have any idea, but the color... and something about the mixer. Â It hit me like toilet cleaner water. Â In the sinuses. Â Or something. Â It was awful. Â So I slammed the first one and that was it. Â But it's nice to know I still have some principle, price is right or not.
The food? Â Well, something tells me it would have been much better if I'd been able to stomach the margs. Â The salsa was good; a nice mix with a kick (but not too much), but the chips were almost chewy. Â Like they hadn't been fried long enough? Â I ordered the potato tacos because they sounded delish. Â I was thinking it'd be soft corn torts, but instead it was greasy, more chewy than crispy half-fried (grilled?) corn torts with melty cheese and more grease in potato form. Â The guac was generous, which I appreciated. Â The tacos came with rice and beans (standard sides, nothing memorable), and some kind of green salsa.
I ate it, but I regretted it afterwards. Â Total gut bomb. Â But again, I can see where a following might be forming here (following the booze, that is). Â Would I eat here again? Â Maybe. Â Nothing really to bring me back any time soon, but certainly not the worst place my coworkers could have picked (I'm looking at you--ANYWHERE on the 16th Street Mall...). Â They won't split checks, so come prepared with cash, or hope your credit limit or account balance will cover the tab and that none of your friends will screw you over by not paying their parts.
I'm teetering between two and three stars, but I'm giving three since I don't feel strongly enough about coming back here or not. Â Conclusion: it's a Mexi-joint on Colfax with $1.75 margaritas. Â Anything could happen.
The service at Emilios is not good, especially when the place is packed (which it often is). However, the margaritas are cheap ($1.75) and you should have a nice little buzz after drinking 4 (yes, unfortunately there is a limit). The food was nothing spectacular, but I would order the carne asada for dinner again. The smothered breakfast burritos are where it's at, and likely the reason for my 4-star rating. I'll definitely be back!
Review Source:$1.75 MARGARITAS! Yes! And they're real, so be careful. Like most mexican restaurants, food comes out fast and hot. Patty, our server, was really sweet and on top of things. Â They also had a kind of hype man, Manuel, going around getting people excited for Cinco de Mayo and handing out free things that you'd be excited to get even if you didn't have a few margs in you. Â Even the busboy asked how our food was! Their food is good too, basic cheap (in price) tex-mex that won't disappoint.
Review Source:First off, as most of the other reviews have noted, this place has freaking awesome $1.75 margaritas. They limit you to 4, but that's all you need! They are delicious, and decently strong.
I ordered a chimichanga with carnitas from here the other day, and oh god it was delicious. Lots of cheesey goodness, plus beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and a huge hunk of guac!!!
The only thing is, they won't split checks. This is kind of a pain when you go in a group of people, unless you just plan on using cash.
Had lunch here. Â I ordered one of the combo plates with chile relleno, taco and cheese enchilada. Â I'm not usually a combo girl at Mexican restaurants so I'm having a hard time with this review. Â The chile relleno was the stand out on the plate. Â It's really hard to tell the different flavors of everything because there was a lot of (good sloppy) sauce. Â The sauce was good, the chips just ok. Â I will defintely go there again but will try something different. Â My friend did mention the green chile was really good here.
Review Source:The cheap-o (and surprisingly strong) margaritas are what originally brought me into Emilio's, but I actually like their food too. Quick, inexpensive, and tasty! I have a hard time making it over there for breakfast but their smothered breakfast burritos are awesome as well. Unfortunately they're closed on sunday mornings, which is when my breakfast burrito cravings seem to peak hardcore. haha
Emilio's is a little on the divey side but not too shabby. I'm not going to say the food here is so good it will change your life, but if you're looking for a quick (and very reasonably priced) plate of mexican food it's tasty and worth the trip.
The few times I've been in there they don't seem big on splitting checks for people (not sure if that's the rule or just the server's preference), and I believe they have a credit card minimum of $5 or so. That doesn't seem like a big deal, but that's pretty hard to exceed if you're just getting a single item.
I've been to Emilio's twice and had two very different experiences. The first time was last winter. I'd been skiing all day and was ravenous, so I went to Emilio's and had some shredded beef tacos and a margarita. I remember the tacos being delicious and the strong margarita exactly the right thing to ease my aching muscles. Â
The second time was about a week ago, on one of those chill wintry nights when one just craves good Mexican food. Â I got a beef burrito as carry out. Â The ground beef seemed to be barely seasoned, if at all, the green chile and beans that were supposedly in the burrito were barely enough to make the filling moist and didn't really add any flavor, and what cheese there was - about a tablespoon of it - was all lumped together in one corner. Â This may be the biggest waste of $6 in recent memory, and in fact, the most discernible seasoning in my tortilla full of ground beef was the sadness and regret I experienced while eating it. Â
Since Emilio's is far and away the closest place to my house, I may give it another shot - but if I do, it'll be with a large dose of skepticism and trepidation, and not unless I'm willing to throw away a hard-earned fiver on something that may very well not be worth it.
Everyone seems to love the margaritas here, but I didn't have one, so I can't accurately judge them.
The food was mediocre at best- typical Mexican food made for white people. Blah blah blah boring, the chips were boring, the salsa was boring, the service was just fine, and I really don't have too much else to say about it... other than PEACE DENVER, I'M OUT, BITCHES!!!!
Okay, I've been here about a dozen times now since moving into the Colfax 'hood', and this place has constantly delivered.
Not only is it the perfect place for dirt-cheap margaritas, PBRs, and buckets of Corona, you get one of the tastiest, cheapest burritos drenched in green chili sauce that money can buy. And man, are they fan-frickin-tastic good.
The place also has a surprisingly large amount of good lookin' customers coming in and out, I've noticed. Maybe it's just the time of day I end up showing my face there, but hawt-damn. Good Mexican with pretty scenery on Colfax? You don't see that everyday.
Emilio's offers two things:
1) Super-cheap, mess-you-up drinks
2) Stuff to put in your stomach as you indulge in item #1
They do have potato tacos for vegetarians, which is uncommon, and the food is decently priced. Don't go if you're in a hurry--they're usually slammed and, on the times I've been when they weren't slammed, service was pretty slow. But my oh my those margs. They're super sugary and I'm pretty certain there's everclear in there, which is why they won't serve you more than three or four--I can't remember the number at which you'll get cut off and there's a good reason I can't remember.
It's usually a fun crowd and you can't go wrong with Colfax people watching. Plus you can get totes smashed for like, five bucks. Me gusta.
I love this place because
- $1.75 margs
- The Emelio's special burrito (and the Cap Hill burrito) Â Very good, very filling, very good value.
-cheap buckets of beer
-great people
-good breakfast food
This is the perfect spot to pre-game before a concert at either the Fillmore or the Ogden.
I'll admit it. I don't go to this place for the food. I go there for the drinks. More specifically, the $1.75 margaritas they have from 4-9 Thursday through Saturday. Even MORE specifically, the incredibly strong, limit of four per customer, your night is either done or about to take a turn for the very interesting after you reach your limit margaritas. I'm talking walking through the McDonald's drive thru, trying to place an order on foot interesting. They also have really great beer specials for those of you that like a little hops with your burrito.
Jim Gaffigan has a bit where he talks about how all Mexican food is all the same: tortilla with meat, beans, cheese and rice. While I don't think this is the case with those amazing hole in the wall taquerias, it is the case with this place. If you want something decent and cheap, come here. And if you want my recommendation, I like the beef tacos.
The service is good and you can usually get a seat, though it does get really loud after about 7. They're expanding right now, so they'll be able to seat even more patrons jonesing for one of their sweet, sweet margs.
This is a great little gem amid the gross Chinese food, overpriced Burger and brew joints and the....ahem...colorful cast that roams Colfax. The margs SEEM weak at first, but they hit later. I suggest getting green chili with anything you get. It's really good.
Finally, I found my own little hole in the wall between my home and my bus stop. No surprise I've been here almost every night in the past three weeks.
UPDATE: Because of a few unfortunate visits in recent weeks, I have decided to blackball this place due to poor customer service and downright rudeness on behalf of one singular employee. Until she's gone, I shall not return. Too bad... For them.
If i could marry Emilios, I would.
First off, went during the 1.75 margarita time (4pm-close) and it was amazing. I thought with a price like that, I might get maybe a total of three shots of tequila within their 4 margarita limit. Def not the case; I had two margs before I decided on ordering the Green Chili and was hammered by the time it came. Yes, hammered. They don't play with the margaritas which made me fall in love at first buzz. Plus, they are mixed well. The chili was delicious (but take that with a grain of salt as I was wasted), the server was very attentive and nice, and the service all around was fast. What more could you ask for? Â
Pros: Best deal on real margaritas in town. Food is good. Service is good.
Cons: Not open on Sundays :(
TE AMO, EMILIOS!!!
Who can resist $1.75 margaritas? I cannot... Kelly T. and I frequent this joint on Thursday, Friday or (ok...AND) Saturday. For a Buck and 3 qwartas, Kelly T and I was a little skeptical. We figured the margs would be more water than liquor. We were definitely wrong there! They have a 4 margarita limit.....for a reason, as I found out the moment I stumbled out of my chair toward the door. Oy vey!
I must admit that I was a little afraid to try the food at first......but, after having their cheap but tasty tacos, I will never hesitate to order from the menu again. On their menu they offer a breakfast burrito as well. Now that I live in the hood, I might have to stop by for one on my way to work.
$1.75 Margaritas is awesome! Located right at Colfax and Logan.  Since it's right on Colfax it can be quite entertaining watching the people walk by on Colfax.  The  margaritas are  pretty refreshing on a hot summer day.  I ordered the ground beef nachos and loved them.  Not the best I've had but after a few margaritas they taste pretty darn good.  However, I was warned to stay away from the fish tacos and nacho cheese sauce on the nachos.  So, make sure to ask for melted shredded cheese.  If the weather is nice sit out on the patio and enjoy..
So, my friends warned me they have a 4 drink maximum.. I'm not sure they really keep tracked especially since our bill was not accurate.
-- 1.75 $ margaritas between 4pm and closing time. In case you haven't noticed from previous reviews or the large banner outside. They had me at hello.
-- despite their small price (and lots of ice), we found the drinks strong. Hence the 4 margarita per person limit.
-- cheap food. In decent quantities.
--lively atmosphere (helped by the margaritas no doubt)
-- if you don't like hot stuff avoid the pork chilli. A lot of their foods are pretty hot as well. Have margaritas on stand by.
It's all about the booze , ain't it?
Couldn't get better mexican food for this cheap ANYWHERE in Denver. Love the huevos rancheros. So good!
If you don't like loud busy places then Emilio's is not for you.
Really good chips and salsa and their margs are only $1.75 on Thursday through Saturday.
Only complaint- i wish they were open later. : ( they close at 9.
If you havent been I recommend it. Great for happy hour and a bite! Cheese fries are bomb too!
Ah Emilio's... a great place for good Mexican food and cheap drinks on Colfax.
I've gone here many times and have always had good food and a great waitstaff. Â The burritos are great basic food and for lunch come with green chili inside. Â You can also get them smothered with cheese, which is my preferred way. Â I went with a friend recently and he is a big carne asada fan. Â He really enjoyed his meal and loved the green chili.
Another of my favorites is the green chili cheese fries. Â Nothing better on a hungover morning than spicy green chili, fried potatoes, all covered with cheese. Mmmm!
Drinks are always reasonable. Â As you've probably seen in the other reviews they have cheap margaritas ($1.75) and good bucket specials.
So, come on down to Emilio's and grab a drink, some food, and amazing Colfax people watching!
FOR THE VALUE THIS PLACE IS EASILY A 5 STAR'R. Â A MUST if you're hungover and want an amazing burrito and a ridiculously good MARGARITA for only $1.75!!! Â Love the FAX! (COLFAX!) Â They put green pork chili in just about every dish. Â The tamales are the best YO!!
BREAKFAST FOR 2 FOR LIKE 12 BUCKS!! OHH HELLZ YA!
THIS PLACE ROCKS... I WANNA ROCK!! AT EMILIO'S....
LOVE THIS PLACE!!
Come for the happy hour.Thurs- Sun $1.75 Margs from 3- close. Cheap Margaritas and a plate of chips of salsa, is always a good way to start of the night.
The food is OK at best, I mean it's reasonably priced and the wait staff is pretty cool for the most part. I've only had one problem, this summer we were gettin' shit-canned here. Our table just kinda kept piling up with friends on the patio and our server kept getting the wrong amounts of margs and explaining that she had to pay for all the ones we weren't receiving that she had replaced. I felt pretty bad, but I was being honest. I can't say about my friends.
So, yeah when you see the no separate checks sign when you walk in....totally sorry about that.
But, they didn't get two stars for this bad experience, in fact chic server look at my picture you probably remember me. Sorry sweetie, hope you don't hate me. Â They got two stars because even for the cheap price I've had way better Mexican.
I consider these guys a budget chubby's which speaks alone for itself. But, I eat here probably once a month, funny how that works.
Shows what location does for a joint.
This place RULES.
Had heard about their $1.75 happy hour margarita and wasn't sure if we'd be too late. Â I figured it didn't matter since if the happy hour price is $1.75, their regular price is probably only like $3 or $4 anyway.
The chips and salsa were tasty, just the right amount of spice in the salsa and I didn't feel like I'd have to be taken out on a stretcher after (Lime, I'm looking at you). Â In fact, even though the salsa was gone long before the chips were, the chips weren't too bad on their own and I usually view the chips as merely conduits for dips. Â That's saying something.
I ordered a couple of ala carte items (guacamole tostada and cheese enchilada) and my friend got the chili rellano plate. Â Everything came out super fast, warm, and gooey. Â Now, it wasn't the BEST Mexican food I've ever had, but it surely hit the spot. Â And that's not the point here anyway.
The point is that the service was great. Â Our server was super attentive and even though the place was packed, they found a chair for a third friend to join us about halfway through for a margarita and they didn't act put out at all.
Two meals and five margaritas later, we received the "damage". Â Twenty-four measly dollars. Â You can't beat that! Â Screw Benny's, I'm going to Emilio's from now on.
Good Mexican food in Denver isn't hard to find. You can almost pick a place at random and find more than adequate burritos with that great green chili pork gravy so common in this city.
So Emilio's is only okay and in Denver, okay Mexican food just doesn't cut it. The chili is watery and under-spiced. The beans are thin and taste canned. The meats are just bland. And the place is kind of overpriced: $5+ for just a burrito is a bit much unless its Chipotle big.
Yeah, the margaritas are good and well-priced and really in a lot of other cities this place would be decent or maybe even great. But in Denver (even in east Denver), there are many good Mexican restaurants, so I just don't see the need for a mediocre one.
Rumbled into Emilio's on a rainy night, last weekend. It was packed, wall-to-wall and seemed like a "Mexican Greasy Spoon Joint". We were thinking about leaving, but then an enthusiastic waiter RAN up to us and asked us how many in our party. He then hopped outside, grabbed a table, dusted it off, re-arranged some other tables and made us a spot in a corner. After that, I was impressed.... dude actually WANTED us to eat there.
The queso was pretty much green chile with cheese in it, but still damn good. The tacos al carbon were outstanding and was enough for two people.
To top it off, they have some nifty drink specials: 1.75 margaritas and a bucket of 5 Coronas for 10 bucks (sadly, you don't get to keep the bucket, so my weekend sandcastle plans were foiled. Blast!). Unlike other happy hour/bargain margaritas around Denver, these actually tasted good! Not lemon-flavored KoolAid with salt and a trickle of bad tequila-- I would've been happy paying 4 bucks for each one.
Great value, quick service. 3 cheers from me.
There is definitely better Mexican fare around, but Emilio's suffices if you're in the neighborhood or on a lunch break. The salsa is weak but the chips crispy, salty, and flavorful. The burrito (bread) isn't always fluffy but the filling pleases. The best things about this place are that it's CHEAP and the wait staff are friendly and prompt. ¡Olé! Que dura.
Being from Cincinnati, I find it hard to say "THIS IS THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD EVER!!!" given my lack of experience in the subject matter.
That said, I can say "THIS IS THE BEST MEXICAN I HAVE EVER HAD!!!" with 100% confidence. Â I say this because every item I have had on the menu tastes great to me - that coupled with my love of great service = a great experience.
The fact that I know Tony, Sergio and Andrea is a testament to them giving top notch service.
Best Dish: Tacos al Carbon with Green Chili and a "Tour of Mexico" beer bucket.
Not a huge fan of Mexican food, but when I'm in the mood I go to Emilio's.
Tony typically works the counter and is sooo nice and Sergio works the kitchen and cooks up great food! Â One of the best things about the place is that it's on Colfax so it offers great people watching views (seriously it's amazing).
You get a free margarita ever Friday during Happy Hour if you purchase one of their shirts AND you have to wear the shirt in the restaurant. Â So the t-shirt is worth the price if A. you like margaritas and B. plan on going to Emilio's frequently on Friday's.
If you haven't tried it, you should give it a whirl!
And now, for breakfast:
The location used to be home to another breakfast staple: The Walnut Cafe. I was sad to see it go, but relieved to find it now occupied by cheap delicious mexican food.
this place has amazing breakfast burritos. Seriously, they're really great and cheap ($4). Egg, potato, green chile and cheese with choice of carnitas (like, always) or chorizo or italian susage or all of it together or none of it all.
I am not so sure about the lunch, all i've had the chance to eat is the cheese enchiladas, which should never be a judge...
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