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    Tacos El Metate

    4.3 (182 reviews)
    Open 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Tacos El Metate Photos

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    2 fish 3 barbacoa and fries
    Sam S.

    Excellent tacos , simple and straightforward menu with a bunch of options and a bar full of taco accoutrements. This spot is no frills , beautiful space and staffed by friendly professionals who will take great care of you. You should definitely stop by if you can snag a parking spot

    Taco menu
    Cassandra R.

    Great space. Very very roomy eatery. Clean environment. I loved the clean tables floor and everything. We all loved our food. Tasty and fresh. Great salsa options. Aguas frescas weren't our fav. So many options. No prices on the menu so you were guessing and hoping to have an affordable bill. Had margaritas to serve although we didn't do any drinking this day. Nobody was really walking around serving or checking up on us. Although parking wasn't the easiest depending on how busy the day is out there. There's a small sketchy lot on the side which I still parked I. and some street parking, I can't recall but I think it's street parking with meters. We will def be back!

    Jailyn J.

    Update: I've been going to this place over the past 6-7 years and it has progressively gotten worse and I was sure to take pics before throwing my food away. Whenever I've gone, I've ordered the same items (either Carne asada fries, with shredded cheese not nacho; camaron tacos or asada tacos). I can't even tell you how disappointed I am. The fries were limp, so either undercooked or an old batch of fries that they had sitting. The tacos were literally cold. I let them know the time of pickup (25 minutes out), but the food had been so cold, it seemed like it was made immediately with stuff that had already been cooked. I had a feeling I should've just cooked, but this will be my last time. I had a meeting scheduled for here next week and I can't have my name attached to this experience. Please get it together, y'all.

    Delicious Fish tacos
    John D.

    Wish they had more parking options nearby. Ambiance inside was enjoyable. Good customer service. The food was delicious. We enjoyed our fresh tacos very much. A couple fish tacos and some carnitas tacos. We also enjoyed the horchata drink. We will be back for more. Fair pricing. I think a few chips should automatically come with the tacos. And it would be nice to see more combo items with tacos, chips and a drink.

    Chorizo
    Justin S.

    I've heard lots of great things about Tacos El Metate, so I decided to try it out. Unfortunately I was very unimpressed, but the presentation was nice which made for some good IG photos. The tacos had very generous meat portions, which could be considered a plus, but the tortillas were really thick, seemed old, and not toasted in the fat/oil on the grill which is essential to a taco in my opinion. Even though the tortillas were unpleasantly thick, they still decided to double-wrap the tacos which made them pretty unsatisfying to eat. The only time you should double-wrap a taco is when the tortillas are thin and they physically need to be double-wrapped to hold the taco together. The quality of the meats were either poor or poorly prepared in general. And that makes sense because you don't hear or smell the grill in the kitchen, as if they're just re-heating the meat. Not sure if the meat was re-heated but it tasted like that. The chorizo tasted burnt like it was the leftovers in the pan. The Al Pastor was straight-up just not Al Pastor. It was diced up pork with seasoning added, instead of slices cut from the trompo. The lengua was chopped in pieces too large. Lastly, we got chips & salsa and the chips were incredibly stale and the salsa was just the same salsa from the salsa bar that you could otherwise get for free. It was not table salsa like I would expect. Also, I found it pretty unpleasant to eat in there. The tables felt sticky and were in really big groups as if they thought only groups of 8 would be coming in. The floor was also dirty with dropped meat all over. There were a few positives though. Service was very friendly and the salsas were pretty decent and spicy. Prices were reasonable as well. But obviously, I thought there were a lot of issues and given how many taco options there are in Denver I won't be back.

    Al pastor, Barbacoa, & Birria
    Emma J.

    Quick, tasty, and well priced tacos! I got the Barbacoa, birria, and Al pastor, with them being ranked from favorite to least favorite in that order. I do think it's odd you have to pay for the birria sauce separately and that it doesn't simply come with the taco. The salsa bar was a nice addition too.

    Daniel C M.

    The food was great, I had 3 of the Asada Tacos, and my friend had Carnitas Smothered Burrito, we also shared the Carne Asada Fries, all were very good. Really loved the fries, my friend mentioned that his burrito was on the spicy side. Personally I'm great with that. The only thing that was strange to me, was you have no idea how much you're spending. The menu does not have any pricing. But for the 3 items above along with 2 drinks, was about $40 before tip. A little on the pricey side. Nice salsa bar, not a lot of choices, but good choices. Only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars, is no pricing on the menu.

    Tacos, guacamole and chips
    Alexandra D.

    Th food was good. The guacamole a little disappointing given the size and the overall quality; the guacamole was somewhat missing the avocado. It was mainly veggies with a little dash of green salsa, runny consistency. Not saying it was bad but definitely was expecting a little more quality for the money. The tacos were good. Not bad for the flavor but I did have better. The salsa display was cool, lots of options to pick from. They also serve alcoholic beverages which I didn't try this time but there are options if you're looking for that. You walk in and go order at the counter than you find your place to sit and the rest is pretty much self serve from there. The place was clean and there was ample seating. The restaurant is located close to the DU campus, lots of restaurants around that you can walk up to. Parking may be a little challenging so do give yourself time to park of you plan to go.

    Barbacoa and fish tacos
    Ruba A.

    I wanted to figure out what else it had to offer, the music and the vibe is fun.... Made me wanna go salsa dancing or just start dancing between the table. The asada taco was a little tough and the fish were not consistent in size, one fish taco was tiny and the other was a decent size. The pastor taco was a little too dry. In my opinion the asada could have used more flavor but the overall experience was great. The Fresca water was the highlight of the meal.

    Quesadilla de camarón
    Jaimielyn B.

    I previously lived by the Aurora location and when I moved I was sad to leave it behind. Lo and behold, I'm close by this location! All your choices revolve around their protein offerings but you can choose to get said proteins on tacos, in a burrito, or a quesadilla. They also have tortas with almost all the same options and a couple specific to the tortas. Carne asada fries (not pictured this order) are also available in a small and large size, loaded up with toppings. The large size is easily shared by at least two people. My favorite thing? Their pescado (fried fish) and camarón (fried shrimp, pictured here in the quesadilla). Always so well done, and shrimp is nice and crispy-crunchy in the quesadilla. The setup of this location compared to the Aurora one is nicer, I feel; there's more room and more tables. Everything is well spaced and clean, with a small self-serve bar setup to grab your salsas and pickled toppings. Parking is trickier though, as street parking is your best option and at busier times it's difficult to pin down a spot. I'm so happy I can still order at a Tacos El Metate WIRB ease because I have to get my fried fish fix!

    The napkin rings is very dirty, the greasy tables and the disgusting napkin rings, the worst thing is  the employees sitting in the Cellurar

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    2 years ago

    The tacos here are fire!!! Lengua y crispy tripa especially. It's a bit on the pricer side when it comes to tacos but worth it!

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    2 years ago

    Best tacos in Denver, and best salsa. As a Californian I am so happy to have found this place. 1000000/10 every single time.

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    4 years ago

    Yum ! First time at Tacos el Metate. We ordered tacos and a barbacoa torta. Delish ! Will be going back.

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    3 years ago

    This place did not disappoint. Super good flavor! Love the hot hot salsa too! Staff was very friendly. I'll be back next time I'm in Denver.

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    Ask the Community - Tacos El Metate

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    Taqueria La Familia

    4.7
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    Menu as of 12/7/2025 We went out on a whim after returning…read moreour rental car and driving back into town. My husband and I were super hungry. Looking at taco places, I went with something close by to our location and found this hidden gem. Nestled away on a small street corner of Clay Street and 32nd Ave. parking can be scarce, but I'm sure with the right time and a little bit of walking you will find and manage your way here. Outside the restaurant, they have a small seating area which now is winter too cold to enjoy, but I'm sure in the spring and summer and fall time is super enjoyable. The inside, though a little bit tiny and no cozier than going to your mom's house and expecting a family Filled living room/Kitchen. We went down and greeted by three smiling faces. We already looked at the photos online and knew we want tacos so opted with the chicken tacos and Carne Asada taco plates. The tacos place option came with 5 tacos with up to 2 choices of meats the ratio would be 2:3 .. freshly mashed guacamole made in front of you or freshly sliced avocado.. In the pictures I listed you will find each chicken and Carne Asada options. Both slow pictures missing two tacos because we devoured them as soon as we got into the truck. Their street tacos are heavenly! Chicken option was all chicken breast super juicy grilled to perfection five tacos on a plate another two tacos missing because my husband and I devoured it. This plate came we asked it with the guacamole option instead of fresh avocado. The carne asada was just FULL of flavor and the fresh avocado slices with green tomatillo salsa SLAPPED.. the tortillas are super soft and tears from how fresh the flour tortillas were!! Definitely a place to sit and eat there to enjoy the hot food. I'm originally from SoCal and a heavily populated Latinos with amazing tacos and food.. Taqueria La Familia passed the bar high!! We can't wait to come back and try other options and will update pictures and review then!

    While these tacos aren't the best tasting in Denver, they were still pretty good. I ordered Al…read morePastor which I give a 4/5 & the Chorizo a 5/5 on flavor & seasoning. Both were cooked perfectly & were tender. The portions and amount of meat in each one were quite a lot and the added quac dollop on top of each taco was a nice a surprise. The hot sauce was flavorful but nothing special. As for the ambience the Taqueria is very laid back with a small dining area. They have a nice patio and you can bring your dog. Staff was attentive & quickly serving despite being busy and the phone constantly ringing. Food wasn't instant but rather fast. You can see them cook the meat fresh on the grill. Overall I enjoyed my experience and loved the value. I will be back again to try the other options. Would give them a 4.5 out of 5.

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    Taqueria La Familia
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    Kikés Red Tacos

    Kikés Red Tacos

    4.4
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    I had heard about this place. I just moved in a few minutes away and decided to come try it at…read morelunch-- I'm so glad I did. It's absolutely authentic, but with an elevated menu that really delivers. We got the chip trio, but you almost wouldn't need it since they have a full salsa bar, including endless pico de gallo and sour cream. But the chips are thick and crunchy and delicious. I tried the taco de birria de chivo (goat) and was truly blown away. The meat is so tender and seasoned so well, you can taste the allspice in it, which is perfect for goat, and so unique to Mexican food. I also tried the al Pastor and the Carne Asada, both were also to die for. I love how they make the taco have a little bottom and give it three sides, to help us fit all the generous portion that they give. They also have several different Agua Fresca's, that you serve yourself and get unlimited refills, including Horchata. It's amazing. I've already come back another time since.

    Kike's Red Tacos changed my life. Before this place, I was a normal person. After my first queso…read moretaco dipped into that rich, glorious consomé, I became someone who casually considers flying to Denver "for lunch." I started going when they were still operating out of their food truck, and honestly, watching them grow into a permanent restaurant feels like seeing your favorite underground band finally make it big... except instead of music, they're dropping cheesy taco masterpieces. The queso tacos are absolutely ridiculous in the best possible way: crispy, cheesy, messy, and worth ruining at least one shirt over. And the consome? That stuff could heal emotional damage. It's rich, comforting, and somehow makes you immediately want "just one more taco" even when you're already full. Every time I'm in Denver, this place is mandatory. Not optional. Not "if there's time." Mandatory. My vacation itinerary basically starts with flights and ends with tacos. So happy to see Kike's getting the recognition they deserve. If you haven't been yet, prepare to have your standards permanently ruined for all other tacos.

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    Cute bar setup at the new restaurant location on 38th!
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    La Loteria Taqueria

    La Loteria Taqueria

    4.2
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    One of the best places on South Broadway! The tacos are tasty, and so is the elote. The service is…read morefast and friendly.

    Walk in casually as you go about your day on a sunny afternoon and have a quick Mexican food along…read morewith a refreshing Mexican beer kind of place is how I summarize this place. This long skinny establishment - not necessarily super spacious - can offer you a decent food that you can count on. You don't need anybody to go with - you can be a solo diner because this place is not intimidating in any way. It's that casual. I think this establishment was born in the old Stoney's Cantina space. Whether the place was huge enough to create two businesses (and thus La Loteria occupied half of it), I sort of saw some "remnant" of Stoney's was the impression that I got. Whatever I am correct on this or not, this casual Mex place is all about vivid pastel colored interior where red is mostly dominant. Intriguing murals on walls 360 degrees are quite impressive. Once you are inside, a huge arrow to direct the people to order to their left at the ordering counter. That ordering counter extends all the way where you'll see some bar seatings. The right side of it mostly has tables for small to large groups of people. Like I said, this place is not huge but at the same time, people don't stay long to dine; the turnover is quite quick in a way. The restaurant also gets many walk-in to-go order placers as well. I got me the Aztec Bowl for to-go. This dish is only $11 (as of early May of 2025) and is a vegetarian item. I consume a lot of vegetarian diet and yet my instinct loudly spoke to me to add some protein to it. Whether or not you can keep it non-meat to stay in the vegetarian zone, adding some protein to this dish is a must as if it was by itself, it would be a bit boring because it only has some greens and some slices of avocado. As the add-on, I got me the carne asada ($5.00) that comes with rice. Not bad.. I didn't eat it right after I got home; I meant to get it to eat it the next day which I did (this AM.) It was still fresh where nothing tasted stale. The carne asada was well-cooked with seasonings. In other words, it wasn't salty at all but held good flavors. Now on the receipt, I saw a charge of what's called "takeout service fee" which is 18%. I kind of assumed that this was mostly the mandatory gratuity. At the end of the card transaction, I remember that the different gratuity percentages were listed on the machine and they were quite small because of this fee. It'll be up to you to add more if you wish. Some people might complaint about this mandated system and yet I kind of understand that businesses nowadays must survive by navigating through the rising cost of living. As we have seen our favorite businesses disappear in the recent years, I am here to support them by whatever I could within my power. Whereas the parking on Broadway is a pain in the neck at any time of the day, if I think of a casual Mexican dining in the Baker neighborhood next time, I may stop by here. It's a good establishment to know.

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    The ceiling of the bathroom
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    Los Carboncitos

    Los Carboncitos

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    Had quite possibly the best torta (torta Los carboncitos) in my life here. The women up front…read moreimmediately welcomed me and worked with me in spanish even though I'm not great at it. I ordered to go and it was out in 10 min

    I tremendously enjoyed this restaurant. I call this a hidden gem because even though it's on the…read morenortheast corner of the very busy intersection of 6th Ave and Sheridan, you may drive past by it unless someone told you about it. It's also very unassuming. It looks like a very small restaurant on the outside but once you are inside, you'll be shocked to see its good size dining area. This place is all about happiness. I mean seriously!! They care about their customers that get satisfied with their service and meals. And it does draw a very diverse crowd from the Hispanics to Caucasians to Asians, I mean you name it. They also get a lot of to-go orders. Some people came in, grabbed their food and went on their way for the night. My friend got the Torta Los Carboncito. This is a massive sandwich with plenty of meat inside. Since the menu has colored picofor almost each item, what caught my attention was the fish dish. There are two of them: one is trout and the other is something else (I forgot) but I got me the non-trout one. The lady asked me if I wanted the flour or corn tortillas so I went with the corn one. As soon as I got home, my late night snacking started. I only took several bites out of that whatever the huge fish. And oh my goodness, it was so delicious! Well-seasoned with very light salt. Although I mainly got it for tomorrow morning/lunch I had a hard time quit eating because of its deliciousness. Extremely welcoming staff (I even met the owner, Alex as he was dining with his family), quality food and value pricing, this place checks out for the hidden gem restaurant that's not necessarily super fancy but it's worth every penny and time. Yelping is so much fun. That is why I cannot quit my foodie-ness! What a nice discovery!

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    Ample seating with exceptional service including the owner
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    Hot, more hot, slightly less hot and really hot. But all delicious.
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    Adelitas Cocina Y Cantina

    Adelitas Cocina Y Cantina

    4.2
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    A friend recommended this spot, and I'm so glad! We went on…read moretaco Tuesday and had no problem getting bar seating (or there were a few tables available) around 5pm but I noticed after 6pm people were waiting for seating. The food was delicious! We got $2 chips and salsa off the happy hour menu and the queso con soyrizo (not on HH menu) which was served with warm tortillas. Honestly we probably didn't need all that because the tacos were so good I could've just filled up on more of the tacos, but still was a great meal! I ordered the lengua, pastor, and taco special (breaded shrimp). They were all so good. Think taco quality of a good street taco spot but with the ambiance of a cute tex mex bar. The bartender was great and made a solid marg ($8 on happy hour). You get a great deal on taco Tuesday but I'm sure you'd get great service and quality any day of the week!

    Good meal but a lot of work and hassle!…read more Very limited parking. Left side of the building are a few parking spots shared by several businesses. Good luck getting a spot. Then you are driving the neighborhood hoping to find a spot. Finally parked and walked to the restaurant. Host told me it would be 30 minutes but the actual wait was 50 minutes. Spend so much time parking and then waiting, at what point do you give up and leave empty handed? Restaurant is VERY LOUD. Finally got a table and ordered OFF MENU. Server agreed to substitute shrimp for my enchiladas and they were good! Fresh corn tortillas were the highlight. Ordered tres leches cake and enjoyed it too. Was a nice meal but just not worth all the hassle.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Tres Leches Cake
    Tres Leches Cake
    Outside

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    Outside

    Tacos El Metate - tacos - Updated July 2026

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