After having lived in Denver for over 21 years, I was finally taken to Santiago's. Over the years I have heard so much about the food, and especially the green chile.
Upon arriving, we grabbed the only table that was available. My friend, who is a veteran Santiago's customer, got in line to grab us some of their $2 breakfast burritos. Apparently, you get no choice of the meat in them (the day I was there it was bacon). You only order by mild, medium, or hot. I gobbled it down like a starving child and it was delicious (I got the medium).
We then ordered our "breakfast" from the menu. I ordered the menu breakfast burrito. Again, I asked for medium green chile. I asked for chorizo and was told the only option was bacon. I was fine with that because if one of my favorite foods. When my burrito arrived it was smothered with green chile, lettuce and tomatoes. Just how I love a smothered burrito.
Unfortunately, the only resemblance this burrito had to my $2 burrito was that they were both wrapped in tortillas. My more expensive "deluxe" burrito was barely lukewarm and the chile was bland with absolutely no spiciness to it at all.
The restaurant was extremely busy so I didn't send it back, but based on my first visit here I would return to get some of the $2 breakfast burritos to take home and enjoy on my couch. As far as the rest of their menu, I don't know that I'm interested in trying it again.
Most people hit this one on the head, this is cheap, decent, Mexican food.
Being off the busiest part of Leetsdale does suck a lot to make it a quick run into but fast service, food was alright and prices weren't painful.
I'd go back, but it's not b/c I'm blown away with how awesome it was.
Best breakfast burritos in town, hands down. At $2 a pop they are a staple in my office every Friday morning when we make a run. I would grab one every single morning if they had a drive thru...but please don't tempt me. The parking usually stinks but only because it's so packed. Can't knock them for that! Love it!
Review Source:TERRIBLE! Do NOT go here if you are vegetarian. You ask for NO MEAT breakfast burrito, and they fail to inform you that their green chili has PORK. Got all the way home and called in only to be told that I should have asked for it PLAIN or with red enchilada sauce. You would figure that "No Meat" would have been sufficient. Morons.
Review Source:So, I need to update my initial first visit and review. Â Since my first lunch visit, I have never gone back to buying anything other than those scrumptious $2.00 breakfast burritos wrapped and pinched on both ends with tinfoil.
When I wake up on a Saturday morning and crave Santiago's, you know it's just that good. Â My wife usually tricks me into picking up burritos as she sleeps in on the weekends, "Honey, I need Santiago's." is typically how it goes. Â I make a quick trip, load up the dog, wait in line (that moves quickly) and return home. Â I always fit in a Starbucks on the way. Â The 20 minutes of complete silence is her weekend secret...she's happy, I'm happy.
Fact: we (my mother-in-law) bought 200 burritos for after our wedding for breakfast the next day, up in Keystone. Â It was a major event with months of planning and numerous discussions. Â How many? Â Who picks them up? Â Does Santiago's deliver? Â What will the MEAT OF THE DAY be? Â Coolers were involved, ovens the morning of to warm them up, runners, pot holders, transport and the best, leftovers!
So, my initial review needs to be ignored. Â Actually, it needs to be studied and observed very closely! Â My initial review and thoughts changed as I revisited, an at the time so-so establishment. Â As a foodie type, never judge a hole in the wall by your first visit. Â If you can give said establishment a second chance, you might find that it is better than you first discovered. Â Now, my life is ever changed.
We have seen the line way out the door on weekend mornings for breakfast burritos and had to try it! Glad we did, we got medium spiced burritos with cheese for $2 each. How can you beat that price for the flavor you get...you can't! We got there at 8:02am on a Saturday and the line was already out the door but moved really fast. We had out brown bag of goodness in less than 2 minutes and were on our way to heaven. We will be back soon.
Review Source:We absolutely love this place. It has become a weekly tradition for us to come have some of the best Mexican food in Denver.
At first, I felt a little weary about coming here. It's kinda situated on a ghetto looking part of Leetsdale and didn't look like the nicest place. Now that I have lived in the city for awhile now, I realize sometimes these are the best places to eat.
We get something different every time we go and it never disappoints. Once I tried the "small combo" to try a little bit of everything. This combo was anything but small, and it was a whopping $7.50 or something crazy like that. I am yet to try the breakfast burritos which is the one menu item everyone raves about. They have outside seating in the summer. The view of Leetsdale is not awesome but it leaves more room when the inside is packed.
One gripe I have is the parking situation. When it's a really busy afternoon, it's pretty hard to find a spot. There are a lot of people that get orders to go, so spots may open up fast.
I'm very impressed with Santiagos. I would be really impressed if they made a vegetarian green chili for those who don't indulge in the pork.
I absolutely hate this restaurant. The people are complete D bags, my bud who speaks fluent Spanish says they talk crap about white people (I really don't want to believe him but I've never know him to be a liar and we've been good friends for 6 or 7 yrs now).
More importantly, they screw up all their BK burritos. If you want hot you'll get medium and if you want meat you'll get one with out it. Oh and yesterday which was bacon day they gave me one with ham in it. Does anyone know of another burrito place whose green chili is just as good but has nice employees and doesn't screw up every single burrito they touch?
Why in the world does Santiago's pay 2 different people to stand at the bucket with all the burritos in it just to hand them out? Wouldn't it make more sense to just set the stupid buckets out for the customers to grab what they want and then pay for it at the register?
Yesterday the guy in line directly ahead of me began to place an order for a lunch type burrito  and got all the way through the order and the cashier asked if this was to go or for here. The customer replied "I'm gonna eat here" the cashier rolled his eyes, sighed and told him to have a seat and to just place his order with a waittress. What a jerk.
The BEST Carnita burrito (get it deluxe) Â and Breakfast burritos! Â This is the only place I will stand in line to get a breakfast burrito, because there is always a line, every morning - so very delicious. Â
NOTE:: Â I have eaten at the Santiago's on Sante Fe and it is not as good as the one on Leetsdale. Â
This place rocks!!!
I'm a hero at work and it is all because of Santiago's. Â Green chile and breakfast burritos are a staple here in Denver, so it comes as a surprise to me that very few restaurants can do burritos like Santiago's. They just have a great combination of egg, meat, chiles that give you a liitle bit of sweat and a whole lot of addiction. Â When I bring in a half a dozen to work, Â people don't say oh is that a breakfast burrito? Â No, they say "oh damn you the man, you went to Santiago's!" Â Of course, I'm not the only one, just about any day you go, there is a line. Â So if you go, please don't be that annoying person in the carry out line that says "oh what do I want? Can I get some enchiladas and oh how hot is the medium?". Â NO, you get up to the cashier and you say 4 or 5 or whatever hot, medium, or mild. Â I'm giving you the heads up on this place, but don't stand in my way when I am ordering!
Review Source:If Denver's Mexican restaurants could be compared to different types of bathrooms, then Santiago's Mexican Restaurant would be the glory hole of Mexi places. Â By that I mean it is quick, practically anonymous, and very cheap. Â Sure some people dare to sit down for a meal here, but anyone who knows better uses Santiago's to grab a quick breakfast burrito on the go. Â You only need to know how to count and say one of three words: mild, medium, or hot. Â Most days I stumble in really groggy and mutter "2 medium". Â The clerk says "4 dollars," gives me my burritos, and I get the heck out. Â Is it fine dining? Â No. Â But for $2 a pop, it is hard to match their level of convenience, price, and overall deliciousness.
Review Source:Best breakfast burrito. EVER!!!!!
I used to stop by for breakfast a few times a week just for the breakfast burrito with half and half green chili sauce. (half and half is medium spicy).
Since leaving Denver, I have been obsessed with finding a breakfast burrito as good and I haven't even come close.
What makes this burrito is the green chili sauce for sure. Their other stuff is very good too but nothing will ever compare to this burrito.
Santiago's has some of the best breakfast and all around food in town. Â I sometimes wish they were open when I go to work in the morning because I am always craving a breakfast burrito. Â They are just how I like them, spicy!! Â And their salsa is great too! Â They have become one of my favorite places to eat breakfast or to grab a quick bite because they are so inexpensive and worth every penny!
The restaurant itself is pretty tiny but I am typically getting my items to go so I am usually in a line or sorts but no problem since the line goes pretty quick. Â
Another favorite of mine are their enchiladas!! A must have!!
Santiago's is a great little place to get some grub. It's far from perfect, but the food gets to your table quickly and its hot. My cousin and I ate here because we were hankering for delicious Mexican food with an emphasis on good guacamole and salsa.
We ordered chips and salsa to start. The chips were perfect. Possibly homemade and had just the right amount of salt. The salsa was...well, when you get the salsa it looks, smells and initially tastes like pasta or pizza sauce. But then it kicks you in the face with spiciness. Ooh it's such a glorious burn. I had to take bites of the burrito I ordered to smother the fire on my tongue.
Thankfully I had decided on a plain burrito with only carnitas, cheese, refried beans and rice. (I avoided getting the green chile salsa on it because other Yelp reviewers commented on its heat.) The burrito was good, but I don't know that I would call it the Best Burrito Ever. Tasty carnitas, good beans and rice, but the cheese in it was kind of in a big mass and wasn't really melted. Still, I devoured the whole thing. My cousin chose a tosada and seemed to like it well enough to make several "Mmm" sounds while she was eating it.
The best part: the ridiculously low bill. For everything mentioned above plus two drinks, I think it was maybe $12? In short: Good food at amazing prices. No complaints about the physical space and the waitstaff were courteous and extremely fast.
I give them credit they run a hell of a racket in the AM with thier generic bland cheap breakfast burritos!
$2 breakfast burritos, when you stop in they have a assembly line of burrito makers pumping out these tiny concoctions filled with the meat of the day and Santigos mediocre green chile.
I cant lie the convenience of being ready made and cheapness of these lil buggers have sucked me in more then one occasion. However after each time I get this same feeling of regret similar to McDonald's and Taco Bell forays and I find myself asking WHY WHY do i torture myself with this sub standard FARE!
CLIFF NOTES: Cheap, Marginally OK, convenient, comes with FOODIE remorse!
The burritos are great but the service...not so much. The guy who mainly runs the store is not very friendly but, hey, I'm sure he doesn't get paid that much for the crowd and the hustle & bustle he has to deal with so ... eh.
What I don't like is you cannot get a burrito with a different meat than the daily special if you desire. It's either you take the special or you get it with no meat. It may be due to the crowd. I'm not sure but if I cannot get a burrito with my choice of meat, if I'm not dining in, then I think that should clearly posted.
Of course, we all know, this location needs to relocate to accommodate the waiting patrons and their cars since the place is small and the parking area is a joke BUT, either way, it won't keep me from going back again and again. Nothing like a cheap yet whopping and delicious burrito with quick, 'on-the-go' service.
I apologize in advance, but please consider this review a bucket filled with the drool that escapes my burrito-craving burrito hole. I crave Santiagos sometimes, and this morning was one of those times.
The Ladyfriend and I waited outside for almost 15 minutes for them to open (we got up early, what of it?) and it was worth the wait. While a little thin on meat, the hot sausage burrito was worthy of every "that's what she said" joke you could possibly imagine.
For instance:
It tastes so great going down.
It was a little spicy, but so filling.
The hot meat is everything you could ask for.
It's so soft on the outside but just filled with good things.
Holding it in your hands warms up your whole body.
I can almost fit the whole thing in my mouth.
The potatoes are wonderfully cooked.
That last one may not be quite white we're looking for, but it's still true.
And for $2? It's impossible to beat. It drives the value per dollar ratio through the roof and into a heaven that rains burritos. The hot was also deliciously hot, just left a tiny bit of burn in my mouth after I finished the burrito, twas darn near perfect.
I haven't tried any of the other food there, just those $2 foil-wrapped idols they call burritos. But man, are they worth a stop in. On a chilly morning they're very, very difficult to beat.
Santiago's is a delicious refuge for a Mexican food lover like myself. Whether you are looking to eat-in or get your grub to go, you will be glad you stopped by.
The helpings are heaping, the service is excellent and the prices are very reasonable. I *love* that they call me "miha" - it makes me feel very welcome and at home. I also love that they will give you both green and red chile or even half medium and half hot chile.
The seating inside can be tight, much like the parking, but it is well worth it. The deliciousness well outweighs any inconvenience.
I can't lie, there are few people I love with the same frequency and intensity that I love Santiago's. Â I think I'm gonna go with 5 stars for this one simply because of the amount of crack they put in the food that makes me crave it so much.
I was introduced to Santiago's in February of 2004, I remember it well. Â Some co-workers took me there for lunch, and since then I have developed a full-blown addiction for their Indian taco with HOT green chili. They really do it right here, the chili is basic, flavorful, not ruined with too much seasoning. Â It just leaves a warm and happy feeling inside me for the rest of the day when I feast upon seasoned ground beef, fresh lettuce and tomoatoes, all atop a crispy fried flour tortilla and smothered, nay DROWNED, in the chili. Â And the chips and salsa are phenomanal too. Â This is actually the only Mexican place where I continue to snack on those even after my order has arrived. Â Like the chili, it's nice and spicy.
Even if you aren't a fan of heat, the half and half option is a great taste. Â
Breakfast burritos here are simply a must, watching any of these places in the morning is like watching a well organized crackhouse where the junkies are actually organized in a line. Â My sister and I used to go to lunch here every week, now I find excuses to drive past it just so I can do this to myself one more time.
Be warned: this is NOT HEALTHY! Â But frankly, if they used arsenic as an ingrediant, the last words out of my mouth would be "Worth it! Gag! Croak!"
Santiago's is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Denver area.
The breakfast burritos with their varying meats are to die for! Â
For lunch, I love the $2 crispy chili rellenos. Â
You can't beat this place - the service is fast and kind, the food is delicious and the best part is the green chili - hot, 1/2 & 1/2 or mild!
I recently ordered 40 breakfast burritos for a company breakfast and received the highest compliments!
Been here 3 times: 2 eat there, 1 take out
Result: this place is really growing on me!
Now keep in mind, this is no-frills mexican food in a no-frills setting: only a few tables inside, a few on the patio, take out is common.
Salsa is spicy! Enchilada sauce is tasty!
Very reasonable prices: I got a cheese enchilada & a bean tostada for $3.58 including tax, not including tip.
Yummy cheap mexican food.
There are few things in this world that are worth five stars. Santiago's green chili is one of them. I love SPICY! and their medium is plenty spicy for me.
The $2 breakfast burritos are the thing they're known best for, but all their menu options are ridiculously priced. The huevos ranchos are really good and only $5.50! Plenty of food too, I couldn't even finish mine. If you are high maintenance about your coffee like I am, grab some at Stabucks two doors down and then cruise over to eat. They only have powdered creamer, no milk.
I left very happy and full.
This has been my go-to breakfast burrito place for a while now. Â A typical visit to Santiago's goes something like this:
A line mostly of hungry looking or hungover looking guys, sometimes just a bit out the door. Â Someone steps up to the counter and says something along the lines of "two hot." Â The guy behind the counter says "four bucks." Â The next guy says something along the lines of "two medium." Â The guy behind the counter says "four bucks." Â This cycle repeats itself endlessly until either the line temporarily disappears or the place closes. Â Because I doubt that they'd ever run out of burritos.
The key thing to point out about this place is that you can order extra hot. Â As a person fond of extremely spicy things I will say that their extra hot is for real and it will hurt you. Â I'm talking a potential case of hiccups. Â Still I cannot pass up the opportunity to inflict damage with a couple of their extra hot burritos. Â
I've been visiting a few of the Santiago's and I don't know if they're all the same ownership or not, but the thing I have noticed about this one is that they tell you what the filling of the day is. Â I don't think you actually get to pick for the breakfast burritos, you just have to go with it but at least here I've noticed that it's advertised so if you're not in the mood for ham, well then that's probably too bad. Â I don't know they might let you do a special order, and you can definitely do vegetarian burritos.
Excellent chili rellenos! Â In fact, I have never had a bad meal from here and I have tried several items, but I keep coming back for the rellenos.
They make everything fresh, so if there is a line expect to wait a bit--but not too long and it's worth it. Â The parking sux but mostly because of those idiots with their giant-assed SUVs.
The food here is always consistently great! Â I don't think I've ever been disappointed after getting take-out numerous times. Â I've never sat down and eaten here, I've only stayed long enough to order and wait for a bag full of boxes.
I love the green chili here. Â Not 100% on flavor, but still tasty. Â They actually make it spicy and I mean painfully spicy! Â Enough to where I always get 1/2 & 1/2 (1/2 mild and 1/2 hot) because just getting hot is too much for me and I love spicy food! Â I always get a chicken & rice deluxe burrito. Â The chicken is almost never dry and it's such a huge amount of food for such a small amount of money.
With so many Santiago's locations around the state, I really wish they would open one up in Aurora!
Tiny place, tiny parking lot, cheap and good mexican food.
The green chili is amazing and super hot. Â I went half-and-half (hot and mild) and was still sweating my way through lunch. Â And cheap. Â Halfway home, I regretted not buying another burrito for the road. Â
I will be going again. Â Possibly right now. Â Mmmm, burritos...
I used to work right by this location.
Everyone loved their burritos. Â And, yes I have had a few myself. Â But, they are really heavy on the sauce and not much else. Â Not exactly the best thing to put in your tummy first thing in the morning.
They are quick and cheap, that's a plus.
In my opinion the best breakfast burritos in town are at Little Anitas. Â They are sooooo freaking good. Â They are around $4 and twice as big.
$2 BREAKFAST BURRITOS!...Hmmm, i've just realized that is all i ever order there. But they are very tasty. And don't be fooled by the "meat of the day" sign for the breakfast burritos - Hard to find the meat inside, so i consider them "flavored". Just like when you have to drink crappy coffee - i always find that it tastes better in a fast food cup, because you don't expect much from it.
But c'mon, they are two dollars.
There used to be a location of Santiago's closer to me, but it sadly closed. Â I used to stop there on the way to work alot for their breakfast burritos.
The breakfast burritos at this location tasted exactly the same, but were about half the size! Â No worries though, they are still two dollars, and quite tasty and HOT and freshly made. Â What more could you want?
Parking is a bit dicey, as this part of Leetsdale is a bit difficult to maneuver into, but not to worry...a tasty, quick breakfast treat is yours!
Recently I wrote a review about the best place to get a fish taco in Denver. Then, to my sad surprise, I found out it had closed, and re-opened as Santiago's Mexican Restaurant. Â I immediately dismissed the new place as not good enough for my business, until yesterday. Â
I had an early dentist appointment, and what does everyone want after having your teeth and gums poked at? Breakfast burrito! Â So even though I was about 5 miles away, I thought I'd give them a try. Â unfortunately they were not serving breakfast burritos when I got there, so without leaving empty handed I got a chicken and rice burrito ($2). I was somewhat surprised, but not pleased. Â pretty dry chicken, and rice, very small (i guess i was expecting something I could eat half of and save the rest for later), and they were not very friendly. Â
I gave three stars because they were busy, and cheap. I might give them a second shot, if I do you will know
Much better food than I expected! Â The tostadas are really crisp and tasty. Â The green chilie is spicy and the service is no nonsense quick.
The place is a bit small and the stuff they use to clean the tables smells like a stinky perfume, but overall an excellent fast mexican choice.
Cheap, decent Mexican. Can't say I loved it because there was so much about it that truly made me wince. Honestly, I won't be back but the green chili was flavorful and has some serious kick. The service was good.
If you are looking for something better than fast food - go.
Do not order the chips and salsa. I seriously question if the salsa was actually salsa at all. It was atrocious and I will leave it at that.
The parking lot is ridiculous. The clientele was a local version of a scene from a mental institution, and they just kept coming and coming.
I live 10 minutes from this location, but until this week had never stopped. Â This was partly because I assumed (incorrectly- I now know) that a place with this many locations would have a chain vibe and crummy food. Â Not true amigos! Â Now, I've been twice in 4 days.
Great price (less than 6 bucks) for a delicioso green chile smothered carnitas burrito. Â There is a sign above the counter that indicates they won Westword's hottest Mexican food award. Â I took this as a personal challenge and ordered the hot green chile. Bring it! Â They do have a choice of mild, med. or hot. Â I can't speak authoritatively and pronounce this THE hottest green chile in town, since I haven't logged the research hours (or calories) -but the stuff is certainly spicy. Â The kind of spicy that required a couple of nose blows and some Lamaze style breathing to finish the plate. Â I dig that, so I'm giving the place 4 stars and much more repeat business.
Tip: If your trying to gain weight for your next Bridget Jones role, ask them to add some crema on top. Â It cuts the heat a little and adds another layer of richness to the dish.
If you like taking your life into your own hands (both with the parking and the chile) then you will love Santiagos. Â I see locations scattered all over town, but this is the one I keep going to (maybe it's the cute waitress who is always there).
The fare is cheap, it's fast, and it's good. The chile can vary in "hotness" from day to day, but I'd recommend half hot and half mild, because on really hot days... Either the cutie-pie waitress is giving me the gringo treatment, or it's natively hot enough to make your upper lip sweat. I love it!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
