I friend and I are very regular visitors of ALL the Illegal Pete's in Boulder and Denver. The south Broadway store is what you would call our Home base!! The staff and especially the manager(s) are really great folks, always make things pop, and make everybody feel comfortable and welcome!! We come to that store particularly FOR the people!! Recently, we were asked to survey one of the new drinks they are adding to the menu. It was a very nice gesture, and also a smart move by the beverage manager, as both my friend and I know our drinks, and particularly our tequilas!! We chatted about the new offerings, the likely success of several, and generally about changes that are happening!! It was a pleasant and appreciated gesture, and not common or expected!! Sadly, and I guess somewhat par for the course... Someone sitting near us at the bar, not a regular, (we know them all!) and apparently a sad, angry, or lonely person took to yelp to find some injustice in our experience. It is sad that anyone would feel it necessary to leave an unpleasant review based on a situation they weren't involved in nor understood!! They obviously felt excluded, which is normal, we all are a some point, but be a grown-up, and realize life isn't fair or equal. Now, it can be... If you come to Pete's basically every other day, sometimes 5 days a week... for say two to five years, get to know all the staff, spend money on their wares and tip for their craft... Then it is very likely they would ask your opinion too!!! They are great like that!! All that to say, while Pete's, like most places do a great job with their niche... It is the people that set a place apart!! The staff and managers are really terrific!! Stop in and enjoy a great vibe, and great people!!! read more

Came here for some food and I will say it's pretty good fast Mexican food .... Staff was down to earth outgoing Great drunk food lol Also love this place because there was a bar !! Loved it !!! It was the bartenders first day ... and he was freaking great .... For sure coming back read more

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Inconsistent portions depending on who is working. Oftentimes they are so busy that when they fill the bag with chips, say, with the reverse nachos, it's the dregs of the chips, not filling the bag completely and chip crumbs/slivers instead of whole chips. Service is hit or miss. The food is great. Other items sometimes are hefty portions. Other times not-so-much. I usually adore Illegal Pete's but the past month (end Dec to Jan 2025-26) things have deteriorated after the holidays? I will always come back. I will update this review if earned. I don't like leaving poorly reviews. I love it so much I left 4 stars for food and nice staff and awesome atmosphere. Sometimes the music is wicked loud making ordering difficult. Thanks for all you do. I support local businesses. You all should also. You'll be glad you did. read more

Is this just another Chipotle? No....it isn't! The fish burrito is next level adding new textures and flavor to the boring burrito or bowls. Also, the queso here is miles above others with taste and ingredients. Yep! It is a return again place for sure. read more

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Illegal Pete's has a program for touring musicians called "Starving Artist," which we were able to use during our tour stop in Denver. They fed our band for free, which, as an independent band, was incredibly helpful. The restaurant was within walking distance of the venue, so we headed there after our soundcheck. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. I ordered a chicken quesadilla with guac, rice and beans, and chips with salsa. The portion sizes were huge, and the food was full of flavor. We loved hanging out and relaxing in the outside area before our show. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Chicken Quesadilla, Rice, Beans, Chips and Guac. - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

At first, I thought they were closed because the door's a little sticky but just use a little persistence. If you sit inside, the music is a little noisy but if you go out on the patio, it's nice and quiet. They do have a happy hour from 3 PM to 8 PM With drink specials. The staff is very friendly and they will recommend what they like. Best to kinda guide you through what you may want. I came very indecisive. I was too hungry to really make a choice so I chose the plant based taco night protein. It looks like ground beef and it's spicy like taco meat but it's got mushrooms in it and it's got kind of a mushroom texture. So it's not quite as chewy as beef. But it is very good. Every time I go to illegal pizza I enjoy the atmosphere and the food. But I always think it's pricey. I paid $19 without the tip for my plant-based Nachos and soda. Now I will probably eat this again but nachos are really only good once The next time around at least one element isn't quite as good as it was the first time. I will come back to a illegal Pete. But I won't come back as often as I would if their price point was a little better. But they do have good people and you really can't put a price on that. read more

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Illegal pets is just always a total win. Their Nachos are incredible. Everything is so delicious and feels healthy too. The name says it all. It's hard to not be addicted here . read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Outside building - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Just saw the most beautiful girl of my life working the register . Too scared to ask her out. Plus the quesadilla is good

Great outdoor seating especially with the weather getting chillier. I love their carnitas quesadilla and that it comes with a side of guac. The staff here is always great and there is plenty of parking which is awesome for S. Broadway. We are big fans of this location since even when it's busy, it's nothing crazy and you can still get a seat- and get in an out quickly. read more

Great food, great staff! Always fresh and delicious. They keep the restaurant super clean. Only issue is I wish they had breakfast every day and not just weekends and they should update their options on door dash to let me order lunch meats on my breakfast burrito. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Breakfast burrito - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Basically a better chipotle! The guac here is amazing! They also have a nacho option that is soooooo good! Sad they don't have these in Illinois! Food is done quickly and space is large and inviting! Cute sticker decor read more

"Mexican inspired" it might be , but Mexican this is not. My "taco" disintegrated on the first bite. Corn tortillas shouldn't be steamed to the point of falling apart. And why just one tortilla? Is it really too much expense to at least give a structure to this bland mess? After we finally got our food I then had to wait in yet another long line for a drink, and finally gave up, returning to my table to find my son had already finished his meal. Fun family night out--ugh. I have no clue why there was such a long line for this place. (Two redeeming facts: staff are very kind and upbeat and the patio is wonderful.) But dang, they could do so much better. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - "Taco" - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Delicious Food- chipotle has competition. Fast service and great vibes. Favorite location in Denver. Limited vegan options but there's vegetarian options. No alternative or plant based meat. Although, if you are pescatarian they do have fish. For any lactose intolerant people, no dairy alternatives but needless to say the burritos are still delicious without cheese. Very fresh! read more

Terrible service dont know how make a margarita. real unfortunate for such prices. Had to wait 30 minutes during ight traffic as well. read more

Oh how I wish I could give them zero stars. Not only did my burrito have two long hairs that were absolutely NOT mine but my mother's fish tacos were soggy and disgusting. For the price I paid for the entire meal + drinks this food quality is absolutely unacceptable. Do better. Another awful "meal" rude staff. Poor quality of food and it was cold. It was cold and inedible. Gross. Fix your problems. read more

I have never been to Illegal Pete's before, and I will say I will be going back. The servers were incredibly nice and accommodating. One of our friends has a peanut allergy, and they informed her that all but a few foods are peanut allergen free, but they still washed their hands and put on new gloves to ensure there was no cross contamination. I ordered 4 chicken taquitos with sour cream and tomatillo salsa. It was the perfect amount! The are made and fried fresh read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Taquitos - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Staff and managers very welcoming and friendly Food always delicious. Will always be back read more

I think I got a steak quesadilla, and it was pretty good, but their ordering system is a little confusing, so I didn't get to add other stuff to it. read more

Love this place. Its open late, the drinks are affordable and the food was delicious. The portions were large and tasty. I loved the nachos. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Great place to grab a burrito of tacos. Great location with a nice sized parking lot. Awesome bar inside with plenty of drink options. Fantastic outside dining option where you can bring your four legged friends too! Bocce ball court as well...although aint that an Italian thang? Super easy to order online or instore. They do used Niman Ranch meats (although they aint what they use to be). Fair prices and nice sized burritos. Great flavors I have tried several mexi places in Denver and this one is one of the better options. Don't let the Chipotle like order system fool you...this is not cardboard food like Chipotle. read more

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I'm not reviewing the food since it seems consistent across locations. So if you really want to know, you could check out my other reviews. I will say the Baja Fish Tacos are my favorite. They take a little longer to make, but the fish, cabbage, and sauce combo is delish. Now for the vibe. This location has a great sound system and a few tv's. The sound is amazing, not in a loud way, but rather, in a cool bass ambiance sort of way, that spans across genres with uninterrupted mixes. It seems exactly like the one DU had when it was hip many moons ago. The patio is ginormous and the bartender is slinging drinks for those that need to get their margarita cravings handled. But what really sets this location apart is the staff! They manage to be professional, hip, efficient, and definitely happy behind their masks! Unlike the DU location, you won't get a pip-squeak calling you, "Buddy" here. I probably watched over 30 covers get handled by 4 different staff members and have nothing but praise. Keep up the good work Broadway! read more

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Incredibly fresh and delicious food. I had the Carnitas bowl with brown rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. My BF got his standard 3 breakfast basic tacos. We also got a side of chips with guac and salsa. It was a Bronco Sunday so the TVs were all playing the game with fans huddled around. We sat outside...nice shaded tables with cool misting water. It was like we were on vacation except for Broadway traffic being right there. The parking lot when we arrived was full. We had to back out into Broadway due it being full. While eating there, we saw people from neighboring buildings who had parked their cars there. Tyler, the manager, was really nice and made us long life Customers :). This place has a great vibe and relaxing environment. We really enjoyed our time there and look forward to returning! read more

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Illegal Pete's is essentially Chipotle or Qdoba with a bar. The best part of this location is the outdoor patio area. Great atmosphere to get some Mexican grub and grab a few drinks. TVs around the bar if you want to watch a game as well. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This location used to be legit. Now they have shrunk proportions and increased prices. The Chip bags have gotten smaller. When this first happened they said just ask for another bag and it will be on the house. Now they are charging nearly $2 for Chip bags (about 20 tortilla chips). Food is still tasty but there are other equally good options that aren't nickle and diming. read more

It saddens me but I'm updating my original 5-star review and moving it down because I just learned that they fired Christian - apparently because of a singular Google review?! (From what I'm gathering, long story short, it looks like he cut someone off from ordering more drinks and their friend was angry and took it to Google.) He was so awesome and one of the best, most hospitable bartenders I've ever come in contact with. That is super unfortunate as I know he was very loved by many. Definitely an L for IP. read more

There is a small parking lot which is nice otherwise you park on Broadway. It's just like Chipotle... but not as good. I got the steak burrito bowl with veggies, guac, black beans, white rice, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo. It was very very very bland. No flavor at all. But they do give bigger burrito (not bowl) portions than Chipotle. The burrito looked like it was going to explode. read more

Took a few days to stew on this and it made me really sad the girl on the hot food side of the restaurant went to her manager to ask if she could be switched off or if the music could be turned down because she couldn't communicate with customers because of the aggressively loud (and bad music).The manager looked this girl in eyes and literally said "whomp whomp" and sent her back and then turned to another co worker who was sitting on the corner of the bar with his laptop, with rage and disgust in her eyes and said "the audacity"and turned to me like I agreed with her. This place has gone downhill and the customer service was the only thing that made this place special.Refuse to give money to a private business that is publicly shaming and treating co workers so blatantly bad in front of customers. Also since when do you handle cash and then touch someone's food the woman at the register was disgusting. read more

Illegal Pete's was the first place I tried when I moved to Denver. I think it is a solid joint with good food. I have never been wowed, and I do prefer Qdoba, but this location is always busy. There is a full bar, and the drinks are decent, but I mainly come to this location due to the proximity and convenience. It's got a pretty lively atmosphere and you can sit in or outside. Parking is terrible and fills up fast. read more

The bartender used the machine to tip herself over 40%. She took my card, ran it and handed only my card back. I never input a tip and I never signed anything in a POS machine. I guess this place must not be paying well if the bartenders are giving themselves 40% tips and gaslighting the customer into thinking that of course I was handed the machine and signed. I'm sure the cameras will show differently, not coming back if I am forced to tip 40%. read more

Unfortunately I really did not enjoy the food here. I ordered a burrito and at the end of the line they mixed all the contents of the burrito, and I really wished they had asked before doing so. When I began to eat it, it was floppy, 90% sauce, and cold. I politely asked to exchange it, and the staff was really happy to accommodate me which I really, really appreciated. I then got a chicken quesadilla, which was not much better. It was really greasy and I couldn't take more than two bites without feeling sick. My boyfriend enjoyed his, and the place had a really cool vibe. I would probably come back for chips and a margarita, but I've been really turned off by the food. They definitely get my points for having great service, being an inclusive establishment, and having a fun and welcoming bar type vibe. read more

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Great vibes, this location is a little more appealing with a larger patio area but the food is just as good as every other location and the service is always great because they're always having a good time. read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Old reliable illegal Pete's - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This girl is awesome! Great service, great atmosphere... I highly recommend! xoxoxoxoxoxo read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - This girl is awesome!! - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Such a fun place to stop before a bar crawl or any event you need a quick bite beforehand! It's a great place & such a great atmosphere, it's more than just a place to get food. It's a place to hang out and I will always cherish illegal Pete's in Denver read more

Ordered three dishes for delivery and they showed up with only two. When we tried to call and email seeking a credit, we got nothing back--still waiting, actually. Not sure what to do about it, either, as they don't answer their phones. Pretty disappointed in how this panned out. read more

Absolutely love their burritos.One of my favorites are the smothered burritos with Carnitas or their steak breakfast burritos. Huge portion and price is on point. Great place for breakfast or a late night bite! read more

I've been wanting to try this place and love that there are many locations in Denver. They have a small parking lot but it was full during a weekday lunch rush. We were able to find street parking across the street that was metered. I love the vibe - laid back - walls were lined with local business stickers and funny ones. It's almost like your in a beach shack. There was a small line but they moved through it quick. It's a place where you go through the line and build your own bowl/burrito/taco with all the toppings you can see or order other pre-made items. I went with fish tacos. It comes with 3. Being the first time here, I wasn't sure how it worked and later saw they had several choices of the tortilla which I would've loved to try or know which I was getting. It came with a basic flour soft tortilla that had a bit of a crisp. So it was perfect. We got drinks with help yourself fountain drinks and teas. Then you sit and your food comes to you. We grabbed a couple of bottles of hot sauce too for the table. Man, the fish was nice and tender and the batter wasn't greasy. All the toppings were perfect and they were loaded. I didn't need a side and I ate all 3 and it was filling! My BF has been many times also and loves it. We will def be back to try more things on the menu! read more

Illegal Pete's - South Broadway - Fish tacos - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Basically Chipotle, but with more menu options, even better flavors, a huge outdoor patio, and a full bar with a great happy hour.

Very dog friendly. Large deck with water for dogs. Great burrito, fresh ingredients... Huge- couldn't finish it haha.

Fast, convenient, delicious, and enough options to make a reasonably nutritious meal! Great for vegetarians. The line can get long but normally moves pretty fast. read more

Excellent food at a fair price. I got a steak burrito and my wife got the nachos! Both were great. Fast service. Friendly staff I definitely will eat here again. read more