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

Santo - Our selections tonight, from the top, media lunas, pork adovada nachos, bbq wings, drinks at both ends - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Wanted a new experience, so we checked out the menu for this new restaurant and it looked tasty enough to give it a shot on a Sunday afternoon. We walked in and at first it seemed like it had a decent vibe. I had actually been to this location before when it was a different restaurant. Seems like this spot changes ownership pretty frequently, which in hindsight probably says something. Right away we noticed a bunch of tables, especially the booths, still hadn't been bussed. We were told to "sit anywhere," but the only clean tables available were high tops and we wanted a booth, so we waited for the busser, who moved at a pace that honestly felt unbelievable. He seemed to be clearing tables one cup and one plate at a time, walking each item individually back to the kitchen. It was painfully inefficient. It was obvious both he and the girl at the bar saw us standing there waiting for a booth to be cleared, but nobody seemed concerned about it. Eventually the table was finally cleared, but then it sat there dirty for a long time without being wiped down. At that point we just sat anyway, assuming someone would quickly come over and clean it once they saw guests sitting there. In most restaurants, that's standard. Not here. After waiting even longer, I finally asked for a rag so I could wipe the table down myself. The response I got back was rude: "Why don't you just sit at one of the tables that's already clear?" That pretty much sealed it for us. The vibe was off from the second we walked in, and you could feel the lack of care throughout the whole place. At that point we didn't even want to order food because it already felt like the experience was headed downhill. We got up and left. Honestly, I'm glad we did. Service and atmosphere usually reflect what's happening behind the scenes, and I had zero confidence the food experience would've been any different. After leaving, we went to El Centro instead and had a much better experience. I'd recommend choosing that over this place any day of the week. Giving people a good dining experience really isn't that complicated. Sometimes it honestly feels like restaurant staff have never gone out to eat themselves and experienced what good hospitality actually feels like. Unfortunately this place completely missed the mark. We won't be back, and I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Honestly, we lucked out with lunch here. We got in just in time -- after us, they stopped seating for lunch and only the bar was open. This was an impromptu choice while we were in Boulder, and it truly lived up to its reputation as a Michelin Guide restaurant. Food & Taste We tried the lamb tacos and chicken enchiladas (with both red and green sauces). The lamb tacos were delicious, though slightly on the oily side -- something we did share as feedback. The chicken enchiladas were the highlight. The flavors took me back to Santa Fe -- well-balanced, rich, and comforting. The chicken was cooked well and, importantly for me, had no off smell, which I'm usually quite particular about. Vegetarian / Vegan Options They do have vegetarian and vegan options like sweet potato enchiladas and veggie torta quesadillas, which is great to see. Service The staff is helpful and patient, happy to answer questions and guide you through the menu. Ambience The space has a boho vibe, and the clean restrooms are a plus. Overall A great find in Boulder -- flavorful food, thoughtful service, and definitely worth trying if you can get a spot read more

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Went there for lunch and the prices were a little high for a linch of tacos. But when they came and the amount of meat and filling in them . It was not a concern. Had fish tacos and carnitas. Both were good but the carnitas stole the show. Had enough for a take home meal. Get the rice and beans to accompany. Would go back read more

Santo - Fish tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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We were looking to get out of Cheyenne for the day and decided on Santo for lunch down in Boulder. It's a casual atmosphere but the food is on point. I had the Santo Bowl and it was awesome. My husband had the birria tacos which come with 2 tacos. He was worried at first that it wouldn't be enough. As you can see from the pictures, it was more than enough. The drinks were tasty, inventive and not weak lol. So happy we decided to venture out for the day and found Santo! read more

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Stopped in here for dinner on our way to Estes Park and I fell in love with all of their delicious food. I shared an elote salad and the sweet potato enchiladas with chile verde sauce. All of the flavors were wonderful the rice and beans were ridiculously delicious. I wish I knew the seasoning or how they made their rice and beans so delicious because they were seriously miles ahead of other rice and beans that I've had. Inside the restaurant is decorated with a lot of religious and folk art items and everything is very colorful and beautiful. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Overall I loved this entire experience and I highly recommend this spot!! read more

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First timer and it was a pleasure. First noticed the Michelin recognition for small restaurants while waiting for our table. I had a spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette that was very tasty. I drank a Negra Modela. Server was great. Bathrooms were clean. Parking was in a lot. Fun atmosphere. read more

The carnitas tacos are amazing! The bartenders are great as well! The environment totally reminds me of Taos! read more

Santo - Carnitas tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Boulder actually does Mexican food well. There are a ton of 3 Star options but this extra star to Santo was for the perfectly spicy and spiced EVERYTHING!!!! Guac... delicious, umami savory, creamy. Sales rojo....perfect kick.... PERFECT! The lamb tacos.....packed to the hills with shredded goodness!!! The baby back ribs, fell off the bone!!! We came with a big group, including children which means we had the loaded fries and bean burritos, and those were also kicking!! Even the cocktails can be made spicy and every option was delicious. read more

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As a Native New Mexican, I had to try Chef Hosea Rosenberg's restaurant, which pays tribute to Northern NM cuisine. The space is lovely, with a few wood-carved Santos around it. A large zia symbol light fixture is above the bar--the symbol on the NM state flag. We were greeted promptly and told to grab a menu and sit anywhere we wanted. I ordered the La Luna Marg: mezcal smoky notes blended well with the orange liquor and lime. We started with the queso, a blend of savory and sweet with the red pepper jelly, which came with flour tortillas and blue corn chips. My friend and I ordered tacos so we could try a few. The birria beef was plentiful, tender, and marinated in a delicious jalapeno escabeche. The shrimp tacos had a smoky aguachile sauce with perfectly cooked shrimp. The sides of beans and rice were authentic New Mexican--simple yet flavorful with refried beans seasoned with the perfect amount of salt and Spanish rice with just the rice (peas and carrots do not belong in my Spanish rice). Even though I was full, I had to try the small-batch ice cream for dessert. It was a yummy scoop of coconut lime. While all servers pitched in to help out and came to our table, bringing food and drinks, taking our orders, etc., no one checked in on us during our meal. Luckily, we didn't need anything, but a different system might be considered for assigning server tables. Overall, it was a good dining experience at this Michelin-recommended restaurant. read more

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An outstanding meal. There is a reason Santo is Michelin star recommended - It is worth the hype. Went on a Sunday and it was not too crowded around the noon hour. I started off with a mango jalapeno margarita as recommended by the bartender. We also ordered Santo queso. The blue corn chips and house made flour tortillas were absolutely to die for! As a main dish, we ordered the birria de res and camarones tacos. Both were very good. The birria was tender and full of flavor. The shrimp tacos were also well seasoned and tasted very fresh. We also ordered the beans and rice on the side. Highly recommend adding the beans and rice to your meal as they are the best I've had in a few months since visiting New Mexico in the fall. To finish off this delicious meal, I opted for the carrot cake ice cream. WOW! I am glad they don't have this by the pint because I would have taken several to go. Very, very good. One suggestion I would make is to the servers rotations. We had about 3-4 different people check in on us, take our orders, and deliver our check. There was some downtown as a result and while we did not need anything during our meal, no one checked in on us. Everyone that served us were very kind and knowledgeable. I will most definitely be back to try some more delicious and authentic New Mexican cuisine. read more

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I was expecting the food to be a little more elevated here. We were looking for a place that could accommodate 8 people on short notice. I was excited because I'm a Top Chef fan. We shared chips & guac to start and that was fine. I ordered the Birria Beef Tacos (Braised beef, escabeche de jalapeno, cilantro, cotija cheese, white corn tortillas) for my entree. The portion was generous but the beef was dry. Everyone was pretty satisfied and I am sorry I didn't order the ribs because those looked like the best thing. read more

Santo - Birria de Res - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Very good Mexican food in a nice, laid back space. Service was very friendly, and the food was fresh and delicious. Green chili pork was nice, though maybe a bit bland for my spice taste. Chicken tacos were well spiced read more

Santo - Green chili - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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I was here for dinner with my boyfriend and his parents to celebrate his mom's birthday. I had green chili chicken enchiladas, and was honestly surprised by how much I liked my entrée. The portion was also generous. For appetizers, we had chips and salsa as well as queso. One of the salsa was a smoky pineapple salsa that was really interesting and unexpected, but very enjoyable. I also really loved the queso, which had tons of flavor. To drink, I had a fresh squeezed limeade that was absolutely divine and so refreshing for this warmer weather we've been having. My boyfriend had the green chili burger and really enjoyed it, however, afterwards he realized that there was no green chili on it lol. Not a big deal though he still really enjoyed his meal and it came with tons and tons of french fries. Our server was awesome and I would absolutely go back read more

Visually a colorful space, filled with lots of art and a huge chandelier over the bar in the shape of a New Mexican cross. The guacamole and blue corn chips were delicious. I ordered the birria tacos, and my husband and daughter both ordered chicken enchiladas in green sauce. Everything was yummy and the portions were good sized. We had margaritas and tequila with lunch, visiting our daughter at CU. Our server Abby was attentive and gave good suggestions. The 7% service charge seemed high. It's more expensive to eat out than ever as food costs are at an all time high, that said we typically tip well, but when it's a demand it leaves a bad taste. Excellent food, the flavors were vibrant, spicy, tart, very tasty from the pickled onions and carrots, and fresh herbs on top. Our food was visually beautiful and tasted great. read more

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Went here for happy hour on Monday. So convenient that it is until 9 pm. We tried the green salsa, queso, tacos, and the cheese empanadas smothered in beans. The green salsa was spicier than expected but it was good. I love spicy food, but in general the food here might be too spicy for people that don't like it or can't tolerate it. The cheese empanadas with beans wasn't what I was expecting but tasted really good. Also spicy. The queso wasn't spicy and I thought it was too sweet actually. All the vegetables mixed in with the cheese made the texture weird and not that appealing. Was my least favorite thing disappointingly. The taco was so good! Loved everything inside and the meat was spicy and flavorful. Had the horchata which was delicious. My friend loved her margarita. The chili rim was actually some spicy thing and not tajin but apparently it was enjoyable. Service was friendly and decently quick considering how busy it was. After we got our food and drinks our waitress never came back. Ambiance was so cute and loved it in there. The bar was pretty big too. read more

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A staple in Boulder cuisine. Come for the happy hour--it won't disappoint. Queso: 5/5, could easily down 10 of these. $5 HH (mini-size) Mini-sliders: 4/5, a little green chile pepper action. $5 HH Media Lunas: 10000/10, the refried beans are out of this world. $12 HH read more

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After reading the mixed reviews about the food here, we decided to give it a try since our go-to Mexican restaurant was closed. I'm glad we tried this place, but it was such a disappointment--I'd say the negative reviews were pretty spot on! Hostess and waiter were nice, but that was the only positive thing about our experience. As most reviews mentioned, food was way too salty or overly seasoned, plus most of the dishes were served lukewarm. The only thing that came out hot were the fries. Places like this remind me why I opt to cook at home instead of dining out. Definitely don't recommend. read more

Two Haiku Review: Solid, however Nothing very note-worthy. Good happy hour Deal--three different salsas. Many vegetarian Options to try out. read more

Food, service and ambiance were great! The appetizers were my favorite thing on the menu. I highly recommend Queso Fundito, it is made with local cheeses and served with tortillas and chips. Tacos were good, not mind blowing. I specifically got the lamb tacos which is made of braised lamb belly topped with a salsa and some greens. I did find the balance nice but I think needed some acidity to build more flavor. read more

Santo - Lamb Tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Fantastic place! Good food, great service, and a super cute place. I'll definitely be back!

Super yummy good service good prices good hot sauce :) wasn't too crowded and they gave a nice outdoor area

Great food and drinks. Went here for a double date night and had a great time. Server was knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. The chips are fresh and delicious. We shared the elote salad and enchiladas - do good! The rice and beans are must haves! Note - this is located in a strip mall but the food quality is of a big city. read more

The entrees are all fantastic as are the appetizers. The posole soup! Wonderful staff enhance the wonderful experience.

Quesadilla was smothered and so yummy. The old fashioned was also delicious. This is a little more upscale than a normal Mexican-style restaurant, but you can still be pretty casual. read more

We have always had a great experience here! Delicious food, great margs and excellent service in a friendly atmosphere. Santo is one of our favorite restaurants in Boulder! read more

(Note: before posting here I submitted my complaint directly to Santo but I never got a response.) We used to love this place. When we needed a New Mexico food fix, or a reminder of home, they had the red and green chiles to take us back. It really never really quite matched a true New Mex meal but it was a spot we would bring out-of-towners for a big table or enjoy a meal at the bar where it was usually easy to get a set w/o a reservation. Nice friendly bartenders too. But, and it's a big but, we had the most unpleasant experience there last time that I am not sure I will ever return. On a late afternoon we went in for lunch, a birthday lunch with my wife, sons and a friend. It was empty on the patio and we were told to sit anywhere we liked. Since it looked like it was about to rain we moved a table to accommodate the 5 of us under the awning and waited, and waited. When the server arrived he greeted us with not a hello, but a condescending remark something to the effect of "What is going on with this?! It isn't make it up as you like seating out here!" We were all slack-jawed at the remark. Everyone of us sitting there has been in the food service industry at some point in time and we were all dumbfounded that that would ever be an appropriate response to customers. This goes way beyond the "customer is always right" b.s. It is simply RUDE. I was pissed off and went to talk to the manager who was completely useless. He had no "business-minded" reply to my complaint. He seemed to side entirely with the entitled, rude, and disrespectful waitperson. We ended up sitting next door at Skratch. Not another person showed up on the patio for the remaining lunch service. It's Santos' loss; of service, respect, and long time customers. Hasta luego! read more

Was curious about this spot having grown up once upon a time in the neighborhood so came for an early dinner. We were seated in one of the coveted booths with the proviso that we vacate by 6pm for a reservation which was fine for us since we like to dine and go. Ordered the green chile fries, happy hour taco and 2 other main dishes. I will have to agree with several other reviews that the food is over seasoned and over salted and that is coming from me who carries salt and tabasco where ever I go. The food came out in record time and the insides of the burrito and enchilada were cool to the bite although the outside looked hot. Meaning--food was prepped earlier and warmed in a hot oven, but not long enough. We all had 2 bites of each dish and asked for the check. We left 20% for the server, they added 7% for the back of house and we called it a day. We left over 90% of each dish and will not return. A pity that they don't cook to order and they don't taste the dishes and sauces even after receiving feedback on the heavy handed seasoning. read more

So good. Carnitas are a must and the pineapple salsa is so smoky and good. Great la cumbre beers too and good mezcal

Delicious! So happy I found this place. Love the burrito and quesadilla plus salsas and guacamole. Very fresh and good.

They closed before their scheduled hours and didn't offer me any food. Why say the restaurant is open when your kitchen is closed?

I came on a Saturday night and made the reservation thru OpenTable for 7pm. When I arrived they were only 1/2 full. I got stuck behind the back wall of the bar when there was plenty of seating including the bar. I asked my server, Amos L. about the Mojito Fresca. It was a peach infused white rum & soda water cocktail. I could not the taste the peach or any rum in the drink. I got the Organic Field Greens salad. Very large, but the radishes were chunks instead of slices and they were on the bottom under the greens. I got the salsa trio with blue corn chips and a bowl of the red chili posole with pork adovado. Great posole, pork and salsa. I ordered a strong cocktail, the Blackbelly Old Fashioned with Laws Blackberry select 4 grain bourbon. A proper drink. But dessert was a disappointment. I got sopapillas with honey butter. The 4 pillows were lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar and the Honey butter had no honey in it. I got a scoop of Pina Colada ice cream instead. My server took the sopapillas off my check. It was interesting to note that by 8pm, the patio was empty and the restaurant was maybe 1/4 full. There was a sign in the men's restroom that the shared parking lot out front had a 2hr time limit with adverse consequences. They add a 7% surcharge to supplement kitchen staff. read more

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Food was not good had flavor but just wasn't good non authentic drinks wasn't good waiter wasn't attentive birria and shrimp tacos not good nor rice. Brothers do not come it ain't for us. read more

Ahhh, the quesadilla was fantastic! Very filling, very New Mexico-y. I had it smothered in Christmas chili for a nice blend of flavors. While there is no picture taken, I had the breakfast burrito the other day and that was a nice meal on the run. Service was always friendly too. Although, I got togo each time. Sadly, I was surprised to see a 20% fee added to my bill for a service industry tax. This seems like a rollback to Covid q-times. I can't imagine tipping another 20% on top of that. That would be 40% of my meal. I understand this is Boulder and there's a lot of affluence, so those of you may not care. Do know though if you're on a budget then this may not be the place for you. Not sure if I'll go back just because of that because it seems like a low blow especially how expensive everything is. It feels yucky and like price gouging to me. read more

Santo - Smothered Quesadilla. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I don't normally like salsas or am very picky about them, never have I had a salsa sampler and loved them all. The service was also great. Never felt ignored. Our server, Bella, was very kind and made it a wonderful experience. The space itself feels spacious and breathable. No tables are awkwardly close together. Awesome happy hour deals. Great portion sizes. Love this place. 10/10 recommend. read more

Santo - Salsa sampler and guac! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I went to Santo with my family recently and everything was perfect! They've changed the menu with plenty of options under $20 which is very cool and better than the previous one when most entrees were around $25-28. Service was impeccable and the food very tasty. We agreed that the house margarita was too sweet and the coin one too much on the sour side; I wish they could find a happy medium. My son's lemonade was also very sour. The entrees certainly didn't disappoint, we all were very pleased with our plates (tacos, quesadillas and chicken mole). The portions were also generous. After that last experience, we all had a wonderful time and I can't wait to go back! read more

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Great green chile burger! nice servers and host! Chill music and calm environment! Good decor! read more

Santo - Green chile cheeseburger - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Food, service, the ambiance, all is 10/10 here!! They really know what they're doing here. Make sure to stop in the morning for the best breakfast burrito in Boulder, highly recommend! read more

I was probably a nightmare customer: came in with my 1 year old for lunch and immediately broke a cup, spilled water and another drink all over the floor, and asked for my food to go right when it came. The host and our server (Olivia?) were both so sweet and understanding, not making me feel bad about it at all. Now enough about that, let's discuss the food: finally!!! I've been looking for this quality and style for 2 years in Boulder and I don't know what took me so long to get to santo but they know what they're doing. Beans cheese and rice IN the burrito. California dreamin, they do it right. I didn't get a chance to try the dessert and don't usually have interest in the dessert menu but everything looked so good. I will be going back to try the fresh ice cream flavors (maybe sans baby next time) finally, the prices: totally reasonable imo. Kids bean and cheese burrito was $5 or $6 and huge! Desserts were all under $10, some as low ad $5. Go here! read more

Service is excellent. The food is super SALTY. If you like to eat lots of salt - order the Pozzole and the Tacos de pescado. Too bad for such a nice place. Read other customers mentioning the salt. This is an easy fix = change the recipe and put salt shakers on the table. read more