My family and I only went here because we were desperate for Mexican food and kind of lost in Aurora. So, we settled on Senor Ric's. I kind of wish we hadn't.
If anyone remembers the restaurant chain called Chi Chi's, then you will be familiar with what this restaurant is like - faux stucco, paper parrots, mexican polka, dim lighting, white people everywhere.
On the back of the menu, there is a small section called "gringo favorites", which includes a chicken breast sandwich and a hamburger (both served with fries, oh boy!). What's ironic is that almost everything on the menu was mexican food for gringos anyways. The salsa was funky, as it had huge chunks of green chile in it; the chile con queso tasted equally weird and like it had been reheated; and I can only presume that the lighting was so dim so that no one would notice things like how brown the guacamole was.
At least my crispy rellenos were tasty, although I did have to put a lot of spicy salsa on it.
Bottom line:
Bad food, and bad service. I'm as white as they come, and I make better mexican food at home. Yikes.
The food is GREAT here but the service is HORRIBLE. 4 stars for food, 1 star for service.
I went with my boyfriend a weeks ago and we were completely ignored the entire night. At one point we even asked the bus boy for drink refills because our server was no where to be found. It took about 10 minutes for the chips and salsa to come and we didnt even see our waiter for another 10 minutes after that. It was a Sunday night, and pretty crowded but we were in a small section with not many tables. He would pay attention to the big parties and  ignore us completely. If I was to go back here it would be on a weekday. Â
I loved how they had many vegetarian options and they have a "special" green chili didn't have meat in it which is rare! I really liked that he had a vegetarian black bean option as well.Their chips and salsa are also great, but good luck getting more when you run out.
My husband and I ate at this place last night and he got food poisoning from the shredded beef chimi or something that came with it he was in the bathroom all night violently ill I know it was from there as he was fine before and he didn't have anything to eat after he started complaining about his stomach hurting  and then later he was on the floor in pain, I called the owner he wouldn't take any responsibility and the girl that answered the phone was sick with a cold but he said she wasn't contagious yea right.
Review Source:I really like this place, I haven't tried a lot of the menu because I love the Ric's Platter. It has small samples of many large dishes and comes with an amazing small bowl of pork green chili.
I love the small pollo magnificos with the green chili. The green chili has big chunks of pork and is a bit thicker than most green chili which I really like.
The small nachos grande is also a great deal, it is loaded with tons of toppings and can really only be eaten with a fork. It is what I order when I want to mix things up.
A few drawbacks...
If you have kids, they don't have kids cups so when you order a milk or water it comes in a small glass. My kids always end up spilling it everywhere. I wish they would at least get plastic lids for their glasses when serving beverages to the kids.
I also didn't like the chili rellenos, I tried them once and went right back to Ric's Platter the next time. The cheese wasn't melted inside and the batter was soggy, not crispy. I wouldn't recommend the rellenos here.
Other than those two things this place is a favorite of ours!
The kids meals are too spicy and when you voice your opinion to the manager or the server, they just write you off like you don't know what you're talking about. Â The manager had the audacity to tell me he was going to take the meal back but he was going to taste it in the back to see if we were telling the truth. Â He didn't apologize once while our 4 year old said the food was burning his throat and our 1 year old was holding his tongue out and crying. Â We won't be back.
Review Source:Not terrible but not out of this world either. Service is Fantastic though, and really friendly.
Happy Hour is the best time to come, two for one drinks from 3-6- chips and salsa are OK... the salsa is a little too tomatopasty for my liking but it's still decent. The green chili is alright too. Good Margs! My favorite dish is the fajita steak tacos.
This place has solid food, but needs to hire more servers. Â I would love to give this place 5 stars, but the management needs more help to take care of everyone. Most nights when I go, servers have 7-10 tables each. Â Food eventually gets to you, but takes 15 more minutes than it should. Â Dishes come warm instead of hot which is not pleasing for fajitas. Â
Drinks are great and the bar good too...this place could be a lot better than it is now.
After reading the glowing reviews and driving past the place numerous times and seeing the parking lot packed, we figured it has to be at least decent, right?...Right?! Â Um, no. Â Chips and salsa were meh. Â We got the chile rellenos and cheese enchiladas. Â Chile rellenos were your standard (for the area) canned hatch chile and greeeeaaasy, cheese enchiladas were bland. Â
The beans...let's talk about the beans...who puts bacon in their refried beans?! Â I don't think I've ever even had that anywhere and it was not a tasty combo. Â I suppose if you're on the trendy bacon bandwagon that's running rampant at the moment you'd like them...but all I could think was that it wasn't Mexican, it wasn't even Tex-Mex. Â I don't know what it was. Â
Interior of the place was out dated and looked like it hadn't seen an update since maybe the late 80s early 90s. Â Service was just ok. Â So very disappointed. Â It seems like the people that really love the place all rave about the pollo magnifico, but I don't feel like wasting another $30+ to find out.
I moved to Texas 23 years ago and still never miss a chance, when back in Colorado, to make my pilgrimage here for my gringo rellenos and green chili fix.  People, this is NOT TexMex! Sadly, one  cannot get green chili like this in Texas - what some Texans call green chili is made with chicken, can you believe it?  And of course, the gringo rellenos (get them smothered green) are not 'authentic' - they are way better ;-) and trust me, I have had authentic. Love this place and still miss it after all these years...
Review Source:This is a gringo-style Mexican restaurant which is just fine for dining in the neighborhood. The pollo magnifico is sooooo good but I usually won't order it myself as it's deep-fried, covered with crema and then cheese, but really is a delight for a splurge. Chips are good, both gringo and egg-battered rellenos are good, guac tostada good, hubby loves the green chili burrito. Not a fan of the spinach enchilada.
I suggest going during happy hour, beers are 2-4-1. Sometimes they'll set out bean dip in the bar area (which is quite large by the way and not too "bar-feeling").
It's not a 4 star restaurant, but it satisfies the need for greasy Mexican food.
This establishment is another fine example that the poor people in Colorado rarely know good Mexican. I am learning to love this state and the people as well and I don't blame them. I mean, if you've been raised on food like this, how are you supposed to know better? I've been told on a number of occasions that this place is great, that I had to try it, that it was SUPER! Ugh! Disappointment strikes again.
So, my first visit.... The chips were stale and come from a bag Tthe salsa is subpar and runny. I ordered enchiladas (It's my go to tester food for Mexican that I've never been to before) and the plate was served so hot that it left a burn mark on the outside of my hand. I asked for some ice and was ignored for 10 minutes and when they finally brought me some it was in a cup with water. Ugh! Ok, Ok, To be fair, they DID tell me the plate was hot - but dang! It still hurt and I never did  get any ice. I guess cold water will have to do. Now that that was over I try the food. Beans are alright and the rice, while somewhat dry, is half way decent. I notice that here in CO that it seems to be a trend to add a bunch of chili powder or cumin to enchilada sauce. The taste just doesn't do it for me so in my opinion,  the enchiladas are just mediocre. Certainly nothing to write home about. I eat part of it and even though I'm hungry my hand hurts and I'm annoyed that I'm about to spend 20.00 bucks for lunch on this. Ugh. Oh, and can I get a refill? Heck no! I sit for another TWENTY minutes waiting for a refill or a check please and nothing. blah.
I can say that at least the atmosphere was nice. It certainly has the feel of a kitschy Mexican joint and if only the food or the service was good. I left feeling unsatisfied and like I wasted money. Normally I'll give a place a second chance, but I see no reason here. There wasn't anything redeeming that would justify a second visit.
My family has gone to Senor Rics for years, and overall the food has been amazing. Â The margs are superb, and my favorite pates are the mexican hamburger and Ric's platter. Â The owner Jeff is always there and is a very nice guy, however my only complaint is that the service is usually sub-par. You can't beat the value (not very expensive considering size, taste and quality).
Review Source:Very poor service.. the bus boy( well an old guy with a mustache) serves chips and salsa with a dirty towel on the tray.
It's a lush bar during happy hour.
The food is so so and way over priced $7.49 for lime killed guac to stop Browning. The owners act like your not welcome.. I was not impressed for daughters birthday
Visiting family in Aurora, our uncle wanted to bring us here for lunch. He has said this is his second favorite Mexican restaurant. So eight of us had a very good meal. When the waiter found out we were originally from So Cal, now from Phoenix. He chatted with us and maid us feel welcomed. Our food was very good, not the best but nothing to complain about. Place has a very large dining room, very cozy and the service is very good. I noticed they are on a first name basis with a lot of their customers. If I lived in the area, yes this would be a place we would regularly visit.
Review Source:My family and I have been eating at Senor Ric's for at least 20 years. I have never been disappointed. Lets elaborate a little.....
The owners and the staff are all very friendly and very good at thier jobs. We are always greated and treated like family. The atmosphere is cozy and quite appropriate. Stucko walls, tropical plants, authentic music, what else could you ask for? The bar is very nice as well. TV's always tuned to local sporting events, great happy hours (2fers) endless chips, salsa, bean dip and queso. A great place to watch a game or gather for a work or family event.
The food is always spot on. The best description is Colorado Mexican. It's not authentic mexican by any means, but it doesnt claim to be either. And to call it Tex-Mex wouldnt be approprate either. They have a unique style of food and I really think that is what they are going for! Kudos!
The Green Chili is like none I've ever had. I consider myself an authority on Green Chili. I make my own and have tasted just about every varity there is to try. SR's Chili is a pork chili, very thick and very tasty! I always begin my meals with a bowl and two tortillias. I only wish it was a little hotter as I like my chili very spicy! The Salsa is very good as well. Always fresh, chilled and plentyful. Again though, I wish it wee a bit spicier. The Guacamole is excellent as well. My wife and I really enjoy the Quacamole tostadas! Yum!
The drinks are always good and the variety of Margaritas is superb. IMO, The folks at Senor Ric's have hit a home run. and the best part is that it is always consistant. You canalways count on your favorite dish tasting just like you knew it would.
For all you doubters and negative reviewers, lets face facts here, you dont stay in business for as long as Ric's has by serving bad food. The parking lot is always full for a reason. Do yourself afavor and go back with an open mind. Dont go there with a preconceived notion of what you want it to be, enjoy it for what it is, delicious!
-MK =]
I have been living in Aurora for five years. As someone who grew up in North Denver, the first thing I did was set out in search of decent mexican food.
Senior Rics was the first place I went. Sadly, it was a one-time trip.
I live a few blocks from this place, and I always shake my head in disbelief at all the cars in the parking lot.
It's like people in Aurora have never had the bar raised for them when it comes to good mexican food, because all the places I have been to are way underwhelming. Â
Chubbies (fast food place) down the street blows them out of the water, if that tells you anything. Â Hell, Taco Bell might give them a run on a good night.
Service? ok
Drinks? Yes.
Food? Run away
In case you're wondering, my search for good mexican in Aurora still continues. TiTi's over on east colfax is very good, but I think many people would shy away from the authenticity of their offerings. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever find it.
We lunched here yesterday. I love the big dining area...the Mexican music and the cleanliness. The service was great ! Very attentive. Our drinks ,salsa and chips were replenished without asking or waiting. I nearly filled up on those alone because they were so fresh and tasty.
Everyone at our table ordered the Ric's platter...I ordered the taco salad. Some members of our party felt the green chili was a bit spicy...but I tasted it and I thought it was very good.
The salad was huge and good. I will be back. Love this place!
This place is the first place where the ground beef in the burrito actually has some flavor! Â The ground beef also has a ittle kick too. Â I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Â The rest of the menu is pretty typical mexican food out here in Colorado. Â It was also nice to see ground beef as an option for the burrito, that's how I'm used to having a burrito...I've noticed that a lot of places around here do either shredded beef (ew!) or carne asada. Â The salsa was ok, nothing to rave about. Â I'd go here again.
Review Source:I have such fond memories and food cravings from Senor Ric's. I think I have gone there for over 10 years. Other Mexican restaurants have come and gone. These are the main reasons why Senor Ric's is the place for Tex-Mex cuisine.
1.You get bottomless chips and salsa as soon as you sit down. The chips are warm and you can tell the salsa is homemade. I like that the salsa is fairly mild to get you started on your meal.
2. Their mini chimichangas as appetizers are magnificent. They are like fried eggrolls of chicken or beef. It comes with a cream cheese that has a hint of jalapeno.
3. Their combos are great. They have become more expensive over the years, but I have yet to find a replacement. Their tacos, taquitos, enchiladas, and burritos are all tasty. The dish comes with refried beans or black beans and spanish rice.
I rarely have room for dessert. I'm a little disappointed with the fried ice cream. It isn't fried, but has a corn flakes covering. The soapapillas are tasty but could be cheaper.
This restaurant is not the place for authentic Mexican food. Also a complaint I get from friends is the lack of spicyness. I actually like this aspect of their food.
I hope you give this place a try.
I'm a native Texan and I've been eating at Señor Ric's regularly (weekly on average) for 14 years. When we first arrived in Denver (Aurora) we were quick to sample various local Mexican restaurants in order to find a "home". Loosely speaking, the Mexican places around here break down into 3 categories:
1. National chains (On The Border seems to be the only one remaining -- and even though they are from Texas -- meh.)
2. Colorado Mexican restaurants (Armadillo and various other 1-off restaurants similar to it) -- with a focus on smothered burritos and green chili, but whose watery unspicy salsa, boring enchiladas, tacos, and other fare are somewhere between uninteresting and horrible.
3. The insanely good no-frills take-out places up on Federal Blvd.
Señor Ric's is none of these. It is, instead, the closest thing to a family Tex-Mex restaurant I've found in Colorado. It still can't hold a torch to most of the places back home, but it tries. Yes, the food is predominantly unhealthy, cheese covered, fat fried, etc, but damn it's good!
The service is always great here -- and since I've eaten here around 700 times and counting, I consider myself an authority on this topic.
Salsa lovers -- the regular salsa here is good, but make sure to ask for their hot salsa (salsa picosa) and mix it with the regular stuff. Mmmmm mmmm good!
The drink specials kinda rocked. Margarita goodness with some variety to boot. The food was pretty good (not quite as good as my LA fav, Don Antonio's but good). The parking lot is almost always packed, and that is always a good sign. They do have a separate bar and restaurant area (big plus), and a nice little happy hour. The chips and salsa seem like they are made there and not from a bag or a can. I suggest ordering from the pick three platter dealy they have. The portion for that is good.
Review Source:Senor Ric's is Mr. Mixer and my biweekly date night place. Not that we have a schedule. But we kind of do. And often, we end up at Senor Rics.
First of all, you can sit in the bar area. No big deal, right? Except you get all the self-serve chips and salsa you can eat. And I can eat a lot of salsa. Because of this laxity with the salsa, Mr. Mixer and I usually share a Ric's platter and a pitcher of margaritas for dinner. Bonus points for a cheap meal!
The Ric's platter is good, though. Two mini tacos, two mini flautas, two mini beef chimichangas and three miniature pollo magnificos surround a little bowl of green chili. OMG-- EVERYTHING IS SO FREAKING TINY AND ADORABLE!!! Ok, now that's out of my system. Everything is pretty yummy, too. The chili is spicy and peppery. The chimis are topped with melty cream cheese. Guac on the flautas. We like it all. I haven't had anything else there in a very long time.
One recommendation: get an upgrade on your margaritas. The house margaritas are just too full of sweet and sour; they make my tummy hurt. The Baja margs are good.
If I could give 1/2 stars, I'd give 2.5 stars.
If you get there before 6pm, Senor Ric's is a great place to have margaritas and some guac and chips. Â Happy hour drinks are 2 for 1, and they literally bring you 2 drinks per order.
The food, however, is not that good. Â I had the fish tacos, which were somewhat smelly and slimy. Â My husband had the pollo magnifico, which was tasty and totally disgusting all at the same time - a deep fried burrito topped with cream cheese and melted cheese. Â Eek.
Overall, it was insanely cheap - our bill was $97 for 6 people before tip. Â Service was friendly. Â I would recommend for drinks and apps, but not for dinner.
Relaaaaaaaaaax, people. Chill out already!
I am not about to try to convince you that Señor Ric's is even remotely close to an authentic Mexican restaurant.
What I *will* tell you, however, is that it nevertheless offers up some very tasty food within its pretty peach walls, with eager staff flitting this way and that, ready to please.
The Pollo Magnifico takes tender chicken and encases it in a deep-fried (I can hear your lips watering from here!) shell, then tops the lot with cream and melted cheeses. Or how about those spinach enchiladas, dense with vegetal healthitude?
Wow, how did dessert time come around so fast? Well, of course the fried ice cream always has tongues wagging. And the decadent chocolate mousse pie will have you juicefasting until 2073.
It is any surprise that this place is so popular?
The BEST mexican food in Colorado!
I've been going to this place ever since I was a little girl.
Whenever I am in the mood for Mexican this is where I go! It's a little pricey, especially the drinks (A soda costs you $2.50 I think, and it's equivalent to a kid's size anywhere else), but with the food you get enough that you'll have dinner left over for that night.
Their chips and sopapillas are to die for! Fun environment, great service and amazing food!
I'm such a creature of habit. I always get their Chicken and Beef Enchiladas with Rice and Beans. Yum! I don't think I've ever had a GROUND Beef Enchilada - but they sure do know how to make it! The enchilada sauce is perfect. And Frozen Strawberry Margs are WAY better than the margs I've had at The Rio or elsewhere! I can't taste the tequila in them but they sure do F me up! How can you go wrong?
Review Source:Having lived in San Antonio, I grew to love  the "Tex Mex" style of mexican food.  Heavy on the melted cheese, beans, meat, and spices is the definately the way I like it, and that's what you'll find here.  My favorite place for strawberry margs and cream cheese with chicken quesadillas.  I used to avoid enchiladas until I tried them at Senor Ric's- the sauce they use is so much better  than the yucky brown/ red sauce that is pretty typical. Â
Happy hour is excellent if you can catch it, with 2 for 1 deals on your drinks and the service is always top notch. Â Nice atmosphere but still Colorado casual with lots of comfortable seating.
mini chimi's...that's all you really need to know. We have been going to this place for years. Every time we make our way out to Colorado this is one stop that we always make. My grandfather introduced me to Senor Ric's. He always orders baskets of the mini chimi's, mixed of course with pork, chicken and beef. They serve them with this cream cheese jalapeno dip that works perfectly. I have sampled a lot of the menu. The green chili is absolutely perfect. Slightly spicy and covered with cheese. I prefer it in a burrito. The Mexican fajita pizza is impressive as well.  The chili rellenos are so crispy. They dip them in the traditional egg batter but also wrap them in an egg roll wrapper and then deep fry that... pure goodness. The beans here beat any re fried beans I have ever tasted and I love me some re fried beans. They almost tasted like they  were cooked with a ham hock or some other smokey meat product.
small tip...go during happy hour, order a margarita and then smile when they bring you out two... happy hour rocks :-)
Like a few reviewers for Senor Ric's, I wish there were the option for 1/2 stars here. I really love going here for my Mexican food fix. The drinks are never watered down, which is a huge plus, and the staff is always friendly and willing to take care of any special requests for the customer.
I adore their shrimp fajitas. since you get a TON of shrimp - Most places give you a couple shrimp with a bunch of other stuff on the side. If you go on the weekends, the place is pretty much packed, but the bar does have a buffet with a couple dips, so you can have a cocktail and some chips with salsa while you wait. While there isn't anything terribly unique about the food or atmosphere, this is a good place to have a tasty Mexican meal, with quick and pleasant service.
Nothing special here. Â Large dining room, seems like a great place for a big group. Â Typical mexican food. Â Chevy's is marginally better. Â Very unoriginal or memorable. Â Friend had the special, looked like a big appetizer sampler plate and I had the spinach enchilada and relleno. Â Didn't even finish my meal. Â Service was friendly and timely.. It was ok.
Review Source:An old friend of ours stopped by to see our new house this afternoon. Â After hanging out for a while, we decided to get something to eat. Â The 3 of us piled into the car and started driving down Mississippi. Â My boyfriend and I had passed Senor Ric's a few times and had mentioned wanting to try it (being the fans of Mexican cuisine that we are) and our friend was in, so Senor Ric's it was!
We were promptly seated in a tall booth that made me feel like queen of the jungle restaurant. Â The decor was filled with plants, dimly lit and pretty darn cool. Â I liked the atmosphere. Â Chips & salsa were brought to us immediately, bonus! Â However, their salsa was meh... I've had better. We happened to venture in during happy hour so we indulged. Â Their basic margarita was pretty freakin' good for a basic bottom shelf drink! Â This was by far the high point of the evening. Â The chimichangas were the Tuesday night special, so that's what I got. Â We waited a long time for food. Â They weren't that busy and my boyfriend and I were enjoying our conversation with our friend so it wasn't a big deal, but it should be noted that it took too long to feed us.
Now, for the food. Â I have to give it a big fat MEH! Â The black beans tasted weird, the chili wasn't very good and the chimichanga was soggy & not crispy at all. Â The chicken tasted good. Â Mostly moist, but a few dry spots. Â Overall, the food did not impress me. Â Mexican is one of my favorites! Â I was disappointed.
The service was A+! Â The young man (he had to have been in high school still) was very good. Â The busser even brought us more chips & salsa before we completely ran out and was quick on the draw with the water / iced tea refills! Â Nice job on the service, Senor Ric's!
I wouldn't mind going back for happy hour for another margarita or two, but to actually eat a meal? Â Probably not. Â The hunt for fantastic Mexican in Aurora continues!
Really good food with large portions.
The food is very tasty. I recommend the Nacho Supreme large, it is enough for at least two people, maybe three or four if it is an appetizer. The Ric's Platter and Pollo Manifico are awesome too. There are two happy hours every day (2 for 1 drinks).
The staff is friendly. I recommend this place for business lunches and early dinners. It can get very crowded at dinner time, but then again... it is worth the wait.
I've been going there for years, and eaten there many times.  It's consistently good food for the price, which is very reasonable.  Just like most places they give you tons of food.  (Enough for a small village.) You could share an  meal if you're a light eater, like me.  They do a good job with substitutions too.  The endless chips and salsa are very good and the buser's usually are quick to refill everything.  They have a mostly Hispanic wait staff, but they speak great English and are always dressed very well.  The atmosphere is clean, modern, Spanish.  Not fancy but clean.  The bar is a great place to sit and wait if it's busy or if you likey the margarita.  She doesn't disappoint!
You're going to like it.
Senor Ric's....a good place where I can get my fix for Mexican food. I've been here several times and it doesnt disapoint. I always try to get something different each time I go and last evening I had the Pollo Magnifico. And Ric's didnt lie about it being MAGNIFICO. There's lot of cheese smothered over, you guessed it,... chicken. For my non-spanish speaking friends....pollo is chicken. Not that you wouldn't have known that anyway. The "pollo" is wrapped in and fried in a thin shell and smothered with a ton of cheese, but what makes this dish magnifico is when you cut into it there is a cheese sauce that makes your mouth water! I would certainly suggest it, you can thank me later. That's "gracias" for those who... ah... nevermind.
Senor Ric's is casual, pretty simple decor, lighting is good and music playing in the background. They have a nice selection of mixed drinks, though I wasnt too sure about trying the pumpkin spice martini they had listed as a special. Not everything that comes to someone's mind, needs to come to fruition, let's say.
There's plenty of parking, but on the weekends it does get pretty crowded. The staff is pretty quick at being able to seat you and the wait staff is decent, not overbearing like some places. Though I think our waiter wasnt too happy when I told him "gracias" Â a couple of times. Hey, all I'm saying is "When in Rome....."
It's definitely a good place for groups and for kids. Give it a try, you wont go wrong. Adios!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,607 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,306 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,904 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,983 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
