Michael S.

Gabrielle G.

Yummy!Love the spicy green chili and soft, warm tortillas! Love it!

Caley M.

Tried this place for the first time tonight. It was cute inside and had friendly service. The food is way overpriced though, I couldn't believe it. Most entrees are $17 and the cheapest are $11, and $3.50 extra if you want rice and beans. I don't mind paying more if the food is amazing but it was a C grade. My hard shell tacos were so soggy I couldn't eat them, the chips were cold, and the salsa was watered down tomato sauce with diced onions. Margs were good though! Unfortunately we won't be back.

Hannah Y.

Meh I have experienced better is exactly the way I rate my experience. The best part about this place were the chips. The salsa tasted like tomato soup with onion. I had the combo number three. It came with a shredded beef taco, been burrito and cheese and onion enchilada. I am 99% positive that the food was frozen. My taco was soggy and drowning in water. My plate with the burrito and enchilada was also soaked in water. Usually, water comes from meals that are frozen. I will definitely not be coming back here. I love Mexican food and come from a Mexican family and I know what my food is supposed to taste like. I prefer La Fogata over this place!

Katie B.

I recently went to La Cueva before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. The food was okay, but nothing spectacular. I ordered a combination with an enchilada, taco, and burrito. I enjoyed the enchilada and the burrito, but although the taco meat was delicious, it was so wet and greasy that the shell became a soggy mess. The servers were friendly and attentive, but the service was a bit slow. I wouldn't hesitate to go back before a show as long as I gave myself ample time, but La Cueva is not a restaurant I would go to on a consistent basis.

Tabatha C.

Stopped in for a small bite before we went to a show at Aurora Fox. Very busy on a Friday night but we sat at the bar and it was comfortable. I ordered the most basic food-1 scoop guacamole and a bean burrito with red chile. The guac was pretty heavy on the onions and the burrito was fine; the tortilla tasted homemade. The bartenders were attentive and made sure we had our check ready so we could make our show. I'd like to come back and have a full meal. I just need to make sure and get there earlier.

Bruce P.

Has to be the best Mexican I've ever had in Colorado if not anywhere. Sopapillas were light and fluffy, red sauce was awesome. Special was can enchiladas, with real crab. I think people make the mistake of coming in before a show and it's too busy. Come another night and you'll love it!

Britt I.

I'm surprised by the low reviews! I have been going to La Cueva for years for authentic and delicious mexican food. My grandmother is incredibly picky and this is one of her favorite restaurants. The owners are always very nice, service is good, and we love the tamales. When I'm looking for a treat, I go for the crab enchiladas. We've never had a bad experience and I look forward to many more with this neighborhood favorite.

Ryan P.

Some of the best Mexican food in Denver period! I unfortunately have not eaten here since 2008 when I was verbally abused by the owner Molly, when I was just trying to make friendly small talk. Her only attempt at an apology was that she was having a bad day. If you look at other reviews on this place her pattern of going off on customers is consistent! If the owner would get rid of her high horse attitude and provide customers with a wait staff that actually has good customer service skills, this place would get five stars! I would go back but I don't want to be psychologically scarred for life! There are a couple of other Mexican restaurants with food almost as good that I can go to and be treated with respect!

Kristin R.

Don't waste your time! A group of 4 of us arranged to meet at La Cueva before seeing a show at the Fox Aurora. When we arrived at a little after 6pm (7:30 curtain call) we were told that it would be about a 15 minute wait. Close to an hour later, more than half the tables were empty but we were still the 8th name on the list. We figured the only way to get any food was to order some apps from the bar. We ordered a quesadilla and some nachos. (pretty simple food). These took so long to arrive that we had to each grab a piece of the quesadilla on the way out the door and we gave the nachos to another group that was waiting. (and was out $17 for food that was really ordinary.)

Horacio J.

Normally you can get huge portions for little cost at a great mexican restaurant. I give this restaurant a one star for customer service, price and food preparation ; 3 for taste The staff is not friendly including the woman that provides the water and chips. Wondering why they are in business for the public if they hate the "public"? Which comes down to the price. The companies in it only for the money. From 2005 the plates have became small and price has dramatically increased. They had signs making excuse for the small portions recommended by F&D administration but could not find why all the plates doubled even tripled in price? Beans are cheap you can go anywhere on colfax for a combo plate for cheap! When recieving the plate there was no cheese, there was no chili on the burrito and the staff seems extremely agitated for a request for more chips and salsa. I wanted atleast to put the salsa on the burrito but thee wait person never came back and I wound up pouring the tbs of salsa on my burrito. So I give the food preparation a one star as well. Lastly, while the wait staff was cleaning off the other table the waitress poured the remaining water from the other table into my glass while walking by. I was so agitated by the lack of customer service and the comfortability of being rude to its customers... after being a loyal customer since 2005, it is very evident this restaurant does not value it's customers ARE IN IT JUST FOR THE MONEY and I in turn will not value this resturant.

Jimmy S.

Very disappointed... Much of the food tastes like it came straight out of a can. Chile rellenos seemed to be boiled and beans tasted like they were purchased in the chip isle at the local grocery story. Great customer service would have made it better, but they seemed to be fresh out of that as well. Cheese and onion enchilada should be renamed onion and cheese. I think four years in Albuquerque might have spoiled me for good food. Green chile was the biggest disappointment. Probably deserve a 0 star rating.

Rachel P.

I was really surprised by some of the low star reviews that La Cueva received. I have been eating here for close to 20 years and the taste of the food is always the same! I used to get my fix once a week; however, since my job location changes I make sure to visit at least twice a month. This restaurant is only one of a few Mexican restaurants that I have been to in all of my years in Colorado (born and raised, with a mother that LOVES Mexican food) that serves everything house made, even the tortillas! When guests come to town, this is always their choice for Mexican food. I have tried pretty much everything on the menu...the shredded beef and chicken burritos smothered with green chile and queso cheese are pretty much my usual orders, but my husband loves the tamales and the chile rellenos that are both served with your choice of green or red chile. I have never had the red chile as I'm a green chile fan. La Cueva does not disappoint on the green chile that looks like gravy and lacks flavor. Because the green chile is made daily the spice index of the green chile can range from spicy to hot depending on the heat of the chile pepper. Molly and Alfonzo (the owners) are quick to let you know how spicy the chile is prior to ordering.The meat is stewed with seasonings and tomatoes. The enchiladas are made with homemade corn tortillas, white queso cheese, and an enchilada sauce that tastes like it has a hint of mole in it. Another plus for them, they do not use yellow cheese that takes away the flavor of the food, but authentic Mexican white cheeses that enhance the flavor of the meat and the chile. Need a margarita fix? The margaritas seem pricey but they are served in fish bowl sized glasses. One or two are pretty much all you need, unless you want to walk out of the restaurant sideways. The service can be a bit slow if they are crowded (the most I waited to order was 10 minutes), however, the food takes no time to come out of the kitchen and when it comes out, it's piping hot. The only things that I have found disappointing here is the chips and salsa; the chips lack flavor and the salsa consists of tomatoes and onions with a spicy kick. And, I think that they overcharge for extras such as a side of sour cream. Compared to the many other Mexican restaurants in and around the Denver and Aurora metro areas, the cost of the food has not escalated that much since I started eating here 20 years ago.

Jonel B.

I have been eating here since I was a toddler. And it has never, not even once, disappointed me. The refried beans are the best I've ever eaten... From Colorado, to California, to Mexico. The meat is tender and delicious. And the service is amazing... It is so great to be a part of a family owned dining atmosphere with incredible food. My mind is boggled by anybody rating this with three stars or less. Seriously. It won't disappoint. But do be ready to take the bus/a taxi home if you plan to drink margaritas. They're as strong as they are delicious.

Ava K.

Came here for dinner with friends. I asked the waitress if she could bring us some spicy salsa. She told us "I wish" but that they didn't have anything spicier. We had the Queso La Cueva, which wasn't even queso. It was a bunch of ground meat with some melted cheese on top. We also had the guacamole, which needed more flavor. Then we had the Haga Su Taco and the Fajitas de Camarones. They were very bland and tasteless. We were really disappointed and won't be coming back here. There are much better Mexican restaurants in Denver.

Brian H.

Nothing overly special. I would head to Taco Bell and save your money. Salsa was bland and the chips greasy. Seems upscale until you get your food than it'll comes together. Will find a better place if I'm in the area again.

RJ F.

Went here with family. My son and I do not eat onion. We ordered our food stating no onions please and even asked if onions were optional. When we received our food to our surprise onions were present in both dishes. The staff already unhelpful and slow became rude. Stating everything they serve has onions. When I argued I had asked for none she just said nothing on our menu comes without them. I asked for a manger and when one came I was offered a bean burrito! Wft? Really? It's should have been said and we would have went elsewhere. My son and I did not eat our food and we're still expected to pay for it. I refused and one dish was taken off. All in all a horrible experience.

Jay K.

We just moved to this area and were recommended La Cueva by a friend who also resides here. I was a bit reluctant to try it because of the lower rating, but the bad reviews are honestly absurd. I'm not sure what people expect, but this is one of the better Mexican places. Maybe we got lucky (we've only been there once), but it was honestly pretty darn good. When it comes to Mexican, I am very picky about being a "regular" customer. There are key components that it must contain. There are so many of these around, there has to have a perfect combination of the following in order for a 5/5: 1) Great food (Entrees, chips/salsa) 2) Inexpensive (which I feel should be a staple of Mexican food) 3) Great Margaritas (100% must have) La Cueva has 2/3 of these in the bag. Their food was great. The staff did a good job and the Margaritas are excellent. The only problem is that it's a bit on the pricier side for me to become a regular. The food is fair enough, but the margs are expensive. Now, with that being said... the margs cost a bit more because they only have higher quality tequila stocked. Would love to see a $6 Cuervo House on the menu. Ha. We will be coming here again, but I'm not totally convinced this is a regular spot for me. Overall, I give it a 4/5. It is definitely worth giving a visit. (As a disclaimer, the only Mexican restaurant I'd give a 5/5 would be Los Dos Potrillos, as it has all 3 components. La Loma would be close at a 4.5/5, but their margaritas are very expensive, but really good, and the food is incredible.)

Shirley A.

Love this place. I just wish we didn't have to drive so far to get here. On the other hand if we lived close I would be here all the time. We have been coming here for over 34 years and have never been disappointed. I love the green chili. It is so tasty. Sometimes it is really hot and other times not so much but it is always good. The beef burritos and the enchiladas are great. The staff is always friendly and the service is great. The restaurant is always clean, including the restrooms. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price this is the place to go.

Jeff C.

I think this should be a 2.5 rating. I decided to give it a 2 instead of a 3 because is was not reall A-OK and it was more "Meh. I've experienced better". I got a quesadilla and asked for beef. It came out and was the barbacoa (beef so I think it technically has a different name as I think barbacoa is pork). Anyway, it was the shredded beef that was in a broth, so it make the quesadilla really soggy. I really should have been carne asada or fajita meet that was grilled. The chips and salsa were ok, but nothing to write home about. They apparently charge for extra chips/salsa after the first complimentary round. I hesitated to ask for more salsa as I did not want to be charged, but I went ahead and did so. Fortunately they did not charge me for the seconds on the salsa. They are ok friendly here......pleasant but it is more of just going through the motions and not really being sincere about it. Probably won't come back.

Jodi A.

Chicken Mole'! Yum ! I loved this place ! Tried their greeen chili, big chunks of pork, great flavor. The service was a bit slow, we waited a while for our drinks, but the food showed up nearly at the same time. Loved the decor, the patio chairs in the front were odd and tall, okay for me, but I could see that clambering up on one of them and perching at the top could be hard for someone else. I'm sure we will be back to try more delicious food !

Orpheus R.

Excellent green chile salsa. Spicier than most, but for me it was the perfect amount of heat. I had the three combo burritos with the green chile salsa and cleaned the plate. They were very tasty. Margaritas were pretty good (we all had the house Margie's for $6), but a $10 Cadillac margarita was a bit ridiculous given the rest of the menu's pricing and sketchy neighborhood La Cueva is in. I will go back the next time im in Denver.

Stacy P.

I've been to La Cueva a few times with groups, always before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. So far, the service has been pretty inconsistent... no one had been outright rude, but we've had pretty long breaks between visits from waitstaff. Drinks and items from orders have been forgotten, but have been brought quickly upon the second request. Keep in mind, though, that the restaurant is probably busier before a show at the Fox than usual, and I never did see waitstaff just standing around doing nothing. The manager and owner were also quick to jump in when they could see a problem. Overall, the food has been pretty mediocre. As others have noted, many dishes don't come with rice and beans, and to order them as sides ends up pushing the tab above comparable restaurants in the area. Others have noted that the quality of the food seems to have taken a turn for the worse over time, and I suspect that this may be the case. There aren't a ton of dinner options in the area, so there may not be much incentive to want to get better. Others have complained about the salsa being heavy on onions - this is true, but is actually a positive for me. I love chunky salsa, and that at La Cueva has always seemed extremely fresh. Drinks in the bar area, margaritas especially, were pretty darned expensive for the quality - I haven't ordered one since my first time there.

Chris L.

Rex S.

If you need to have some great Mexican food and don't want to be disappointed this is the place! Had lots of great times here when I was at Lowery AFB.

Tracie B.

The dictionary defines complacent as follows: pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied. This describes the service at La Cueva. Although the food is excellent (I'll get to that later) the service is...well, not. We arrived for lunch and the three of us were promptly seated and then ignored for several minutes. The restaurant was about half full and it looked as if they were not under staffed. Finally our drink order was taken and we received a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa. We received our food in a reasonable amount of time. Then we were completely forgotten. No "can I get you a refill on your soda or bring you another beer" or "would you like some more chips" - nada. Yes, I did want a refill and yes my husband did want another beer but apparently our waitress was too busy to notice. The food however is great. The green chili is thin but not watery and full of flavor and lots of heat. After a few minutes getting used to the spice, the inside of your mouth adjusts and you're ready to eat more and more. I had a simple ala carte burrito which included beans and shredded beef, smothered with the fabulous green, and light amount of melted cheese, lettuce and tomato - simple and perfect. The chips are fresh, crisp and not greasy. Thy only need a bit of salt. The salsa is the only downer here - I agree with other Yelper's complaints that the salsa, although obviously homemade has way too much onion. It's like a bowl of onions with some tomatoes mixed in. Four stars for the food - two for the service. Since unless you live in Aurora, you practically have to pack a lunch just to drive there, they should make the experience worth your while. Sadly, the quality of the food does not really make it worth the trek.

Shin L.

Amedeo L.

Olivia L.

Cristen B.

Jessica P.

Spencer L.

Best meal ever, Denver has no better restaurant

Ricardo B.

Best Damn Bean Burrito in the state, Hot chile, cooking like my Mama's.

Marie D.

On top of our terrible dining experience, the experience continued with food sickness at home. Both myself and my husband got ill from this meal! Called and they took down our number. NO RETURN CALL.

Cheryl L.

My co-workers used to gush about this place. So I thought "I've got to try it". However, I was let down and the servers didn't seem to really want to be there. I've tried it a couple of times and just couldn't find a descent groove of anything that was really that tasty.

Ben W.

Great mexican food! Try the chile rellenos or the tacos al pastor. A classic for Denverites!

David M.

My sister, cousin and I were looking for food in Denver. My sister, who lives here, suggested La Cueva. After coming back to the house and checking the Yelp reviews of La Cueva, I was really surprised to see so many reviews with a single star. We had a very good experience at the restaurant. The ingredients were all fresh, the chorizo was homemade and was very good. The margaritas were also good. The prices were a little high for the location, the atmosphere and for Denver, but they weren't exorbitant. However, you are getting fresh ingredients, not food dumped out of a can. The service was attentive and the woman who served us was very nice. I do recommend this restaurant.

Alex F.

The food is awesome. I sware all people do on the Internet is complain. Just because you probably spend your life watching shows like chopped and hell's kitchen you think your a real critic. The food here is affordable and delicious and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Mexican food.

Sarah G.

La Cueva left me in a state of confusion. I want to like it for a few reasons but can't for too many. It certaily has street appeal which is why we drove the distance to give it a try. Upon entering it is warm and welcoming with a colorful palate lit with dancing candle light and individual lights above each table. At this point I was really excited and in the mood for some flavorful Mexican food that was different from the norm of cheesy, greasey mounds of meat with a side of salsa. Ok, here comes the hostess. Uh oh. She is clearly not excited to be seating another table and is is only 7 p.m. I will wait to judge based on the actual table side service. Can you say indifferent? Our waitress really did not seem to care at all that we were in her section and ready to spend some money. Beer (bottled), margarita (good, worth two) and salsa (fresh, mild and packed with onions)...let the food review begin. Wait, stop....what the hell is wrong with this menu? All four or five combos consist of a beef taco, refrito tostado, refrito burrito and an onion and cheese enchilada (all priced at $8.75 not including beans and rice). Yes, it clearly states that other combos can be made from the a la carte menu, buy why? Oh, I see. All the plates you really want to order cost $15.95. Wow. The Carne Asada - Chile and garlic marinated thin slices of tender beef, grilled and served with grilled onion, roasted jalapeño, pico, guacamole, and two flour or four corn tortillas sounds lovely as does the Haga Su Taco - Beef barbacoa (Mexican barbeque) marinated in black chiles, slow baked and grilled with onions, tomato, jalapeño, served with pico, guacamole, two flour or four corn tortillas BUT NOT for $15.95. None of the specialties are represented on the a la carte menu or the combos plates. A real downfall. So we ordered the chile rellenos and a chicken burrito a la carte and beans a la carte. The green chile is quite lovely with its smokey sense of straight forward heat. No pork here, just a wonderous array of fresh ingredients that dazzle with color and texture. Will it be enough? Sadly, no. The service and the food options will not draw us back down Colfax even though it is my favorite road in the state. Maybe we will try Rico Pollo 2 a few blocks to the west. Bummer.

Dave B.

I had the combo burrito (a la carte) smothered with green. Excellent. Kick-ass chile verde. I really enjoyed the taste as it was not smothered by a ton of cheese. in fact, no cheese. The chile verde is chiles and not much else. No starch to thicken it up. No pork. The smoky flavor is great. 4 stars. The service was 2 stars. Slow to arrive. Indifferent attitude. Never returned to see how we were doing. They lost a beer sale purely because of the waitress. I like the atmosphere. I agree with Marco's review: "It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying."

Brittany H.

I had hoped for a little bit of a better experience from La Cueva, but I wasn't surprised in the least by it. First of all, to park here is a nightmare. The parking lot is behind the restaurant, so you have to navigate the off-shoots of East Colfax. And who does't enjoy that? But I can't really blame La Cueva for that nuisance. Although we were quickly seated, our server didn't realize that we were waiting to be served for at least 10 minutes, which I guess gave us plenty of time to choose an entree. Everything our party of three ordered was what I would consider to be "easily made" food at any Mexican restaurant: tacos (soft shelled and hard shelled) and flautas. After nearly 30 minutes, our meal finally arrived. Definitely tasty, and thankfully still hot. But sadly, if you wanted any sides with your tacos (rice, beans, etc), it would be an extra $3.50. A bit too pricey, really. Twas a mess to separate our bill as well. Ugh. Sadly, I would pass on La Cueva in the future for a lunch out with coworkers. The service was much too slow to make it back to work in an orderly fashion. Especially since the dinning room was only half full. Maybe their happy hour is good? I'm not sure I'll be back to find out...

Robert C.

Not true authentic Mexican food. We were very displeased with the service and food. Restaurant seemed nice and clean but food serviced was a different story. I would recommend to VP Rick Garcia to evaluate what the restaurant is not doing to keep current and new customers. Overall, Ajuua has not impressed our taste buds nor were we impressed with the services.

BAM BAM P.

Chicken Taquitos are delish and economical. Nice lighting. Closed on Sundays.

Michelle M.

It's been a few years but I'll never forget the experience I had with my friend. We decided to go here for lunch before picking my son up from daycare. We sat down and the waitress came to take our orders. I ordered chicken tacos. When the food arrived, I took one bite and didn't care for the taste of the sauce. I nicely told the waitress and asked if I could order something else from the menu. She immediately went back to the kitchen. Moments later another lady came out and I'm assuming she was the owner or manager. I nicely told her the same thing. She said "I don't care if you like my food or not. Get out". My friend and I sat there with our jaws dropped in shock for a few minutes. Then she came back and said "I thought I told you to get out". We were so embarrassed as the restaurant was quite busy. We grabbed our things and left. I hope the lady was just having a bad day but this was quite traumatic since I have never ever been treated this way before and honestly I'm surprised the restaurant is still in business if they treat there customers this way.

Edward D.

Best Chile Rellenos I've ever had. The decor is charming and the atmosphere is warm (and so is the staff). I've had the same dish everytime I've been there. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu... Oh, and they have countless varieties of tequilas!

Daniel B.

Eh, I am not sure how I really feel about this place. I have been going for awhile, but I think it is going downhill. I will give it a 4 four the benefit of all the good meals I had here in the past. Service was good, food was quick.

Nicholas A.

Worth a trip to Aurora for! Green chile is super hot! I highly recommend the Filete de Piscado in red sauce.

Mike M.

Get the filets de pescado. Amazing fish smothered in spicy green chili. You will love it. The other food was good, but the beans were WAY too thick and pasty.

S W.

Great food! I love the tacos and my husband had the crab enchillads and said they were the best he's had!!! Nice people and good service. Couldn't ask for more

Erin W.

We happened upon this restaurant heading home from the Mexian mart. It looked cute on the outside so we decided to give it a whirl. I saw a Yelp sticker on the way in so I knew we were in a good place. :D The salsa was great - spicy just the way I like it. The service was friendly and the food was delicious. I'm not an adventerous eater when it comes to Mexican food but my chicken soft tacos with guac. were tasty and HUGE. Def. will go back next time I'm in the area.

Tamera F.

Three colleagues and I visited this restaurant after a recommendation from local Aurora educators. It was a disastrous visit from the beginning. The person bringing the beverages threw the straws across the table. She was rude when asked, "Are you our waitress?" We found hair in the salsa. When we told the waitress who we later found out was the sister of the owner, she looked as if to say, "What do you want me to do?" We requested she bring another bowl. Then one of our colleagues discovered two additional pieces of hair in her food. When this was brought to the waitresses attention she became angry and said they rarely have this happen. She then stormed away and spoke to local police officers that were in the restaurant eating. She brought another plate and said to our colleague that she did not understand why she kept finding the hair. She mumbled but we could not understand what she was saying. Our colleague then told her she would not eat the food. The waitress took the food from everyone at the table and said,"I have spoken to my police officer friend and you should leave. You do not belong here. Do not ever come back." We were in total shock and then she told our colleague," Don't worry you do not have to pay for the food." Our colleague told her it was not about paying for the food but about the service and asked if the people in the kitchen wore hair nets. The waitress confirmed that they did and then told us again to leave and removed all of our food never asking if we had finished our meal. Then the police officer came over and said, "She wants you to leave and you should leave." Another colleague tried explaining and he said, "We can talk outside." The police officer escorted us out of the restaurant as if we had commited a crime. This was the absolute worst experience we have ever had in any restaurant in the United States of America. We felt discriminted against as there were two African American women and two Caucasian women. The police officer told us that we did not belong in that area and that was a popular local restuarant with an interesting following. He continued to support her and her decision. The other officer suggested we post our experience on this site. Not only were we humiliated but then disciminated not only by the waitress but also by the police officers. I will never recommend or ever eat in this area again. The waitress never apologized for any hair or the poor customer service.

Jim B.

Been coming here over 20 years, watching quality subtly decline...while no longer great, it is still good. Most recent visit consistent with this assessment...however, service was a huge disappointment...

Margaret N.

I don't really stray much from the menu, combo 2. But every time I go here, I leave satisfied...or at least rather full. The flavor of the beef tacos is quite good and I'm happy with the cheese and onion enchilada and the bean burrito. Like most Mexican restaurants you start off your meal with a basket of chips and salsa. They have recently added notes on their tables explaining that only the first basket and salsa are free. The ice cream sopapilla is a bit of a monster, but can be easily taken down by 3 people...for 2 it's a bit of a feat. The service is average, but the servers are nice. Regardless, when I'm willing to make the drive, I come here.

Tiffany N.

La Cueva is hard to explain because they excel in certain areas and fail miserably in others, but I'm gonna give it my best shot. A group of us went here for dinner the other night. When we showed up we were quoted a 30 minute wait, which was fine by me. That just means I get a pre-dinner cocktail. Score for me! So we grab a seat in the bar. I stood there for like 10 minutes while the guy washed what I believe was every glass in the place, without looking at me once. Then he began a serious scrub down of the bar top. Just when I began to think I would never have a margarita a lady came by and asked us if we wanted drinks. I asked her if they made coin-style margs. She looked at me in utter confusion. I ordered a regular margarita with no salt and received one with salt. No biggie. I just wiped it off. So we sat there and drank our drinks and ate chips and salsa. The chips were good- thin and crisp. The salsa was spicy, but full of onions. Like giant squares of diced onions. So many that at the end of the salsa there were probably a dozen or so pieces of onion in the bowl. My margarita on the rocks was good, but I did have one complaint. After the ordering confusion I order just the house margarita to make it easy. Apparently, at La Cueva the house margarita is not really the house. It's the second-to-the bottom margarita and costs $2 more than what I think of as the actual house margarita. Just a heads up. As for dinner, I had carne asada and it was fair. The green chili really is as spicy and delicious as everyone says, but out of 4 meals it was the only one that satisfied. Everything else was just okay. The best part was that the 3 other people all got their meals waaay before me. I mean long enough before me that one person was able to finish just as I was served. I'm sorry, I lied. The real best part was that 5 minutes after my food was finally delivered, the server came back to clear everyone else's plates, looked at me and asked, "Are you done with that?" I could only stare at her dumbfounded for about 30 seconds before I said, "No. I'm actually still working on it." So, if you're in the neighborhood and want a margarita and/or green chili I'd say it's worth stopping by. As for me, I wouldn't ever drive out there again to eat.

Nicholas N.

Great green chili and not much else. They have a variety of wines and the decor is really weird for a mexican joint. The wait is super long and the food is pretty mediocre other than the green chili. And the chili was really only good becuase it was really hot. So if you don't mind a long wait but want really hot green chili, you should go. I also felt like the wait for a drink at the bar was really long. Oh and they brought out our food at different times, I got my food like 10 minutes before my ladyhawk got hers so, although I am a gentleman, after it started to get cold I ate it. I was done right about the time she got hers and watched while she ate. So I guess, I just feel that this place is average at best. I'm not really excited to go back, but happy that I checked it out.

Art M.

I will say that La Cueva has a very friendly staff, they make you feel like you are family. I have been here several times, each time I have ordered something different. I've had the enchiladas, which were very good, very homemade taste. I have also tried the combo platters, each very tasty. The prices are a litter higher than that of other Mexican Restaurants, that is why I gave the 3 stars. Anyway..,:La Cueva is just a nice place to sit down and enjoy good Mexican food with friends and family.

Simon K.

It seems La Cuerva has a strong reputation in Denver although for the life of me I can't understand the appeal. I was part of a lunch party of 12 and they seemed well prepared for us at first, we had the conservatory area and as we were led through the restaurant, I'll be honest, I quite liked what I saw of the interior. The illusion that the staff were prepared was somewhat dispelled by the patchy service. I'd guess there was a good 10 minutes between the first and last dishes to arrive on the table. Add to that a mistaken order ("Oh you wanted no meat?" - yes, that's generally the concept behind a vegetarian dish) and a "generous" 4 flour tortillas to split between 3 people (although when we pointed this out, they did give us another 4) and I was left wondering if they were even paying attention. But these are minor complaints and not the real crux of the problem with La Cueva. Frankly, the food was, at best, average. When done right, I really like Mexican food. I usually judge it on my experiences in New Mexico, having never made it south of the border. Unfortunately, too many restaurants serve a mess of congealed cheese, which to me, is an easy way out. I guess the Green Chili is dish to go for, judging by the reviews, however, one dish does not a good eatery make. As it turned out, I had the Chicken Mole which was distinctly average, served with the usual trimmings, plenty of food, but honestly, rather bland considering the flavours involved in a good mole. None of my companions appeared too taken with the place and I left distinctly underwhelmed. Maybe it deserves a second chance, maybe there are dishes that win and dishes to avoid, whatever, I can't see myself giving it a second chance.

Spencer S.

3 shredded beef burrito green or red chile! Good eating!

David C.

I go back and forth on La Cueva. We tend to go here every now and then for lunch, since it's close to campus, and we've had some good meals here. I enjoy their shredded chicken most, and the various combination plates certainly give you plenty of food. Chips are good, but salsa is very thin and watery. Service is very friendly, though often slow. Their margaritas have been pretty hit or miss, sometimes really tasty, sometimes pretty weak. And they're very pricey; a pitcher costs $30! Entrees are in the $8-12 range mostly, though there's an entire page of specialties that run about $15. Seems a little high for the neighborhood, don't you think? Parking is behind the building, in a funky lot that requires some serious navigation skills, but at least you don't have to park on Colfax. I like the place, and I know they've been around for a really long time, but I think they could be better.

David B.

I figured this would be a great place, considering how long it has been around, and the fact that it is a family-owned tradition. But I found it to be rather unremarkable. Go to pretty much any Mexican restaurant that's all decked out in bright, colorful decor and this is the food you'll get. The food is fine, but nothing special to set it apart from every other place that looks and feels just like it.

Johanna K.

great family owned and operated Mexican restaurant. this is my go to place. it's not the absolute best Mexican restaurant in town but it's consistently good. DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT GETTING THE FRIED ICE CREAM

David T.

i hate to see an old favorite bite the dust but La Cueva has. We were regulars for many years but, sadly, it is no longer worth the trip out to Aurora. When Papa was still alive and before they expanded to accommodate the crowds, the food was pretty good (many, many moons ago). It had that home cooking thing going on. Sadly, not anymore. Every time we've been over the last couple of years (yes, we keep hoping things will get better) but we have been severely disappointed. I now rate them along with Benny's and the Blue Bonnet and, if you read my reviews, you know what I think of them. The food is nothing more than ordinary. Occasionally, you catch a glimmer of Papa in the green chile but that's just not enough. It's tired and boring and you can do soooo much better in Denver (even on far East Colfax) these days. And, don't get me started on the service - where do they find these people?? As others have said, this is a restaurant on life support and somebody pulled the plug.

Anna S.

I was trying to find a place to eat with my family before I ascended in to the air back to the Bay Area. Since it was my last chance to yelp a new spot, I grabbed the opportunity with two hands. Not sure what came over me, because rumor had it, that Mexican or latin food in the Denver area couldn't hold a light to Cali's offerings. But Mexican food calls out to me constantly! Salssssaaaaaaaaa, tortillaaaassss, guacamoleeeeeeeeeeee.... And then my mouth starts to salivate. Yes, the sight is not pretty. Yelp lead me here. It was close to the airport, got some solid reviews, and one from someone from Cali to top it off! Okay, I had to try it then. Long story short, the food was definitely different than I had expected in a few ways. Their refrijitos, which had awards on the wall, were scooped out onto the plate with in an ice cream scoop, and a small scoop at that. Well, as you guessed, any beans that can be scooped and placed on a platter while keeping its shape were not too moist. I am just not used to that. They weren't bad though, just not award worthy in my book. Rice was average. Fajitas were not cheap at close to 16 bucks, and had only a small portion of meat. A hearty meal if you are the only one eating, but seemed a little steap. Salsa and chips were good. The salsa had a kick to it which was good. I think that the best deal were the taco plates. The tacos and flautas were greasy, but definitely tasty. They fry the tacos and the meat is juicy. We also liked the chili rellenos with Green sauce. Spicy and cheesy. My fave combo. The service was good, and the waitstaff nice. I would have given the place 3 stars, for the steap prices, but I would much rather come here and support the mom and pops, than go to a place like El Torito or Acapulco's.

Thomas S.

Not exactly what I had hoped for. Some good, some bad. I thought that the chips were great - they were thin, packed a nice pleasant crunch and had a great flavor. The salsa was disappointing. It tasted like something you'd get in a jar at the grocery store. The guac was fabulous, but the price was way too steep. $7.95 for what estimate to be no more than two avocados is a little ridiculous. But it is really tasty! Our margaritas were perfection - though it was disappointing that it wasn't happy hour and the prices were once again - quite steep. For an entree, we split an order of their slow roasted pork shoulder - it was good, though I felt that it lacked some flavor and was a bit dry. Overall, La Cueva is a nice place to eat. A fun spacious decor nestled into the historic Fletcher city center in Aurora.

Tricia H.

After reading the recent review, I realized I had never reviewed this place! OK, here's all I have to say --- green chili. The hottest, meanest, most delish chili I've ever had. I mean, ask my husband, I have spent entire Sundays trying to mimic their green chili using everything required of great chili, freshly roasted chilis, everything!! La Cueva's comes in one temp. and that's hot. Although you can opt for vegetarian (w/out the pork). I once read a review that said the person would be happy just sitting in a corner, all alone with their bowl of green chili. It's hot. I mean religious experience hot. Well, I guess there's more to say... flour tortillas. When I was about 10, my family lived about a mile away from my best friend at the time. She is now running (and has run in the past) in the Olympics by the way. Anyway, her family migrated from Mexico. Her mom stayed at home and cooked all day. One of the things I always looked forward to was coming over after school and chowing down on some hot off the griddle tortillas. So you must go to La Cueva if anything to try the tortillas. Second, the green chili. They have an impressive selection of tequila. Margs, I guess are just so so. That's a drawback. I'll speak for my husband now: He doesn't like the Southwestern/Mexican food I grew up on, he's more Calif. style. He LOVES their specialties, the fish, etc. Try that if you are a Calif. transplant searching for your home food. My only worry: The owners will call it quits someday!!

Carol-Ann D.

Authentic and delicious mexican food that makes my tummy feel happy! Festive decor, clean and efficient set-up. The host/owner Norma is friendly and welcoming. The wait staff are courteous and quick. My only disclaimer - I work near here, but don't live nearby, so have only lunched here. Dinner may be a different experience.

Rosanne F.

Definately unimpressed, definately can do better picking out a Mexican restaurant in this area. Four of us met for dinner before a Fox Theatre show. + It is convenient to the theatre. + The interior is warm and inviting. - The kids in the room next to us were all really loud, it was very echo-y. I don't remember any background music. We found the menu to be very unfriendly and "bossy"..... The menu reads: Yes, these dishes (their specialties) take 20 minutes (because they have to thaw them?...) No, there can not be any substitutions, but you can build your own plate from the a la carte (you do the math). Yes, if you want rice and beans with your enchiladas it is $ 3.50 more (for a gob of dry beans and cold rice?!!). Every one of our entrees were ordered different, but every one looked the same with the same "straight from the can" enchilada sauce. We were sorely disappointed. The theatre recommends it as a "favorite place" so we aren't sure what we missed.

Malki V.

Frankly it has been a hit or miss, first time was ok, 2nd time was really good, third time was a miss, and the forth time was pretty good.

Cash B.

Decent mexican food, nothing special though, about on-par with most mexican food chains. I had the Chimi that, thankfully was crispy although it had a greasy flavor to it, and I'm comparing this to other chimis. Chips were cold and had sort of a soapy taste to them, Salsa tasted like cilantro, the patrons were a bit shady, bikers, some fat guys fighting at the bar and a crying baby have probably skewed my opinion of this place. Food gets a 3, atmosphere gets a 1

Marco A.

It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying. When La Cueva opened in the early 1970's, it was your typical small Mexican restaurant fighting to survive. Through the hard work and persistence of the Nunez family, they were able to build a restaurant that became a mainstay of downtown Aurora. Walk into La Cueva and you see the restaurant that hit its peak in the 1980's. The Southwestern decor and food all are typical of Mexican restaurants of twenty five years ago. There are very few of these 1980's style Mexican restaurants still around. The restaurant business is a dynamic industry. Interior design and menus have to change to retain business. A few restaurants refuse to change and in time they become institutions. They survive because they are great at what they do. However, most restaurants that refuse to change, just dissapear. I am amazed that La Cueva still survives. It is not great at what it does. The food and decor are very tired. The service is indifferent. The Nunez family must own their building. When their matriarch finally dies, I would be very surprised to see the business survive. Running a sucessful restaurant requires energy and a basic vitality. The next generation lacks these qualities.

Marco A.

It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying. When La Cueva opened in the early 1970's, it was your typical small Mexican restaurant fighting to survive. Through the hard work and persistence of the Nunez family, they were able to build a restaurant that became a mainstay of downtown Aurora. Walk into La Cueva and you see the restaurant that hit its peak in the 1980's. The Southwestern decor and food all are typical of Mexican restaurants of twenty five years ago. There are very few of these 1980's style Mexican restaurants still around. The restaurant business is a dynamic industry. Interior design and menus have to change to retain business. A few restaurants refuse to change and in time they become institutions. They survive because they are great at what they do. However, most restaurants that refuse to change, just dissapear. I am amazed that La Cueva still survives. It is not great at what it does. The food and decor are very tired. The service is indifferent. The Nunez family must own their building. When their matriarch finally dies, I would be very surprised to see the business survive. Running a sucessful restaurant requires energy and a basic vitality. The next generation lacks these qualities.

Jim B.

Been coming here over 20 years, watching quality subtly decline...while no longer great, it is still good. Most recent visit consistent with this assessment...however, service was a huge disappointment...

Margaret N.

I don't really stray much from the menu, combo 2. But every time I go here, I leave satisfied...or at least rather full. The flavor of the beef tacos is quite good and I'm happy with the cheese and onion enchilada and the bean burrito. Like most Mexican restaurants you start off your meal with a basket of chips and salsa. They have recently added notes on their tables explaining that only the first basket and salsa are free. The ice cream sopapilla is a bit of a monster, but can be easily taken down by 3 people...for 2 it's a bit of a feat. The service is average, but the servers are nice. Regardless, when I'm willing to make the drive, I come here.

Michelle M.

It's been a few years but I'll never forget the experience I had with my friend. We decided to go here for lunch before picking my son up from daycare. We sat down and the waitress came to take our orders. I ordered chicken tacos. When the food arrived, I took one bite and didn't care for the taste of the sauce. I nicely told the waitress and asked if I could order something else from the menu. She immediately went back to the kitchen. Moments later another lady came out and I'm assuming she was the owner or manager. I nicely told her the same thing. She said "I don't care if you like my food or not. Get out". My friend and I sat there with our jaws dropped in shock for a few minutes. Then she came back and said "I thought I told you to get out". We were so embarrassed as the restaurant was quite busy. We grabbed our things and left. I hope the lady was just having a bad day but this was quite traumatic since I have never ever been treated this way before and honestly I'm surprised the restaurant is still in business if they treat there customers this way.

Edward D.

Best Chile Rellenos I've ever had. The decor is charming and the atmosphere is warm (and so is the staff). I've had the same dish everytime I've been there. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu... Oh, and they have countless varieties of tequilas!

Tricia H.

After reading the recent review, I realized I had never reviewed this place! OK, here's all I have to say --- green chili. The hottest, meanest, most delish chili I've ever had. I mean, ask my husband, I have spent entire Sundays trying to mimic their green chili using everything required of great chili, freshly roasted chilis, everything!! La Cueva's comes in one temp. and that's hot. Although you can opt for vegetarian (w/out the pork). I once read a review that said the person would be happy just sitting in a corner, all alone with their bowl of green chili. It's hot. I mean religious experience hot. Well, I guess there's more to say... flour tortillas. When I was about 10, my family lived about a mile away from my best friend at the time. She is now running (and has run in the past) in the Olympics by the way. Anyway, her family migrated from Mexico. Her mom stayed at home and cooked all day. One of the things I always looked forward to was coming over after school and chowing down on some hot off the griddle tortillas. So you must go to La Cueva if anything to try the tortillas. Second, the green chili. They have an impressive selection of tequila. Margs, I guess are just so so. That's a drawback. I'll speak for my husband now: He doesn't like the Southwestern/Mexican food I grew up on, he's more Calif. style. He LOVES their specialties, the fish, etc. Try that if you are a Calif. transplant searching for your home food. My only worry: The owners will call it quits someday!!

Rachel P.

I was really surprised by some of the low star reviews that La Cueva received. I have been eating here for close to 20 years and the taste of the food is always the same! I used to get my fix once a week; however, since my job location changes I make sure to visit at least twice a month. This restaurant is only one of a few Mexican restaurants that I have been to in all of my years in Colorado (born and raised, with a mother that LOVES Mexican food) that serves everything house made, even the tortillas! When guests come to town, this is always their choice for Mexican food. I have tried pretty much everything on the menu...the shredded beef and chicken burritos smothered with green chile and queso cheese are pretty much my usual orders, but my husband loves the tamales and the chile rellenos that are both served with your choice of green or red chile. I have never had the red chile as I'm a green chile fan. La Cueva does not disappoint on the green chile that looks like gravy and lacks flavor. Because the green chile is made daily the spice index of the green chile can range from spicy to hot depending on the heat of the chile pepper. Molly and Alfonzo (the owners) are quick to let you know how spicy the chile is prior to ordering.The meat is stewed with seasonings and tomatoes. The enchiladas are made with homemade corn tortillas, white queso cheese, and an enchilada sauce that tastes like it has a hint of mole in it. Another plus for them, they do not use yellow cheese that takes away the flavor of the food, but authentic Mexican white cheeses that enhance the flavor of the meat and the chile. Need a margarita fix? The margaritas seem pricey but they are served in fish bowl sized glasses. One or two are pretty much all you need, unless you want to walk out of the restaurant sideways. The service can be a bit slow if they are crowded (the most I waited to order was 10 minutes), however, the food takes no time to come out of the kitchen and when it comes out, it's piping hot. The only things that I have found disappointing here is the chips and salsa; the chips lack flavor and the salsa consists of tomatoes and onions with a spicy kick. And, I think that they overcharge for extras such as a side of sour cream. Compared to the many other Mexican restaurants in and around the Denver and Aurora metro areas, the cost of the food has not escalated that much since I started eating here 20 years ago.

Jonel B.

I have been eating here since I was a toddler. And it has never, not even once, disappointed me. The refried beans are the best I've ever eaten... From Colorado, to California, to Mexico. The meat is tender and delicious. And the service is amazing... It is so great to be a part of a family owned dining atmosphere with incredible food. My mind is boggled by anybody rating this with three stars or less. Seriously. It won't disappoint. But do be ready to take the bus/a taxi home if you plan to drink margaritas. They're as strong as they are delicious.

Ava K.

Came here for dinner with friends. I asked the waitress if she could bring us some spicy salsa. She told us "I wish" but that they didn't have anything spicier. We had the Queso La Cueva, which wasn't even queso. It was a bunch of ground meat with some melted cheese on top. We also had the guacamole, which needed more flavor. Then we had the Haga Su Taco and the Fajitas de Camarones. They were very bland and tasteless. We were really disappointed and won't be coming back here. There are much better Mexican restaurants in Denver.

Britt I.

I'm surprised by the low reviews! I have been going to La Cueva for years for authentic and delicious mexican food. My grandmother is incredibly picky and this is one of her favorite restaurants. The owners are always very nice, service is good, and we love the tamales. When I'm looking for a treat, I go for the crab enchiladas. We've never had a bad experience and I look forward to many more with this neighborhood favorite.

Caley M.

Tried this place for the first time tonight. It was cute inside and had friendly service. The food is way overpriced though, I couldn't believe it. Most entrees are $17 and the cheapest are $11, and $3.50 extra if you want rice and beans. I don't mind paying more if the food is amazing but it was a C grade. My hard shell tacos were so soggy I couldn't eat them, the chips were cold, and the salsa was watered down tomato sauce with diced onions. Margs were good though! Unfortunately we won't be back.

Hannah Y.

Meh I have experienced better is exactly the way I rate my experience. The best part about this place were the chips. The salsa tasted like tomato soup with onion. I had the combo number three. It came with a shredded beef taco, been burrito and cheese and onion enchilada. I am 99% positive that the food was frozen. My taco was soggy and drowning in water. My plate with the burrito and enchilada was also soaked in water. Usually, water comes from meals that are frozen. I will definitely not be coming back here. I love Mexican food and come from a Mexican family and I know what my food is supposed to taste like. I prefer La Fogata over this place!

Katie B.

I recently went to La Cueva before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. The food was okay, but nothing spectacular. I ordered a combination with an enchilada, taco, and burrito. I enjoyed the enchilada and the burrito, but although the taco meat was delicious, it was so wet and greasy that the shell became a soggy mess. The servers were friendly and attentive, but the service was a bit slow. I wouldn't hesitate to go back before a show as long as I gave myself ample time, but La Cueva is not a restaurant I would go to on a consistent basis.

Tabatha C.

Stopped in for a small bite before we went to a show at Aurora Fox. Very busy on a Friday night but we sat at the bar and it was comfortable. I ordered the most basic food-1 scoop guacamole and a bean burrito with red chile. The guac was pretty heavy on the onions and the burrito was fine; the tortilla tasted homemade. The bartenders were attentive and made sure we had our check ready so we could make our show. I'd like to come back and have a full meal. I just need to make sure and get there earlier.

Bruce P.

Has to be the best Mexican I've ever had in Colorado if not anywhere. Sopapillas were light and fluffy, red sauce was awesome. Special was can enchiladas, with real crab. I think people make the mistake of coming in before a show and it's too busy. Come another night and you'll love it!

RJ F.

Went here with family. My son and I do not eat onion. We ordered our food stating no onions please and even asked if onions were optional. When we received our food to our surprise onions were present in both dishes. The staff already unhelpful and slow became rude. Stating everything they serve has onions. When I argued I had asked for none she just said nothing on our menu comes without them. I asked for a manger and when one came I was offered a bean burrito! Wft? Really? It's should have been said and we would have went elsewhere. My son and I did not eat our food and we're still expected to pay for it. I refused and one dish was taken off. All in all a horrible experience.

Jay K.

We just moved to this area and were recommended La Cueva by a friend who also resides here. I was a bit reluctant to try it because of the lower rating, but the bad reviews are honestly absurd. I'm not sure what people expect, but this is one of the better Mexican places. Maybe we got lucky (we've only been there once), but it was honestly pretty darn good. When it comes to Mexican, I am very picky about being a "regular" customer. There are key components that it must contain. There are so many of these around, there has to have a perfect combination of the following in order for a 5/5: 1) Great food (Entrees, chips/salsa) 2) Inexpensive (which I feel should be a staple of Mexican food) 3) Great Margaritas (100% must have) La Cueva has 2/3 of these in the bag. Their food was great. The staff did a good job and the Margaritas are excellent. The only problem is that it's a bit on the pricier side for me to become a regular. The food is fair enough, but the margs are expensive. Now, with that being said... the margs cost a bit more because they only have higher quality tequila stocked. Would love to see a $6 Cuervo House on the menu. Ha. We will be coming here again, but I'm not totally convinced this is a regular spot for me. Overall, I give it a 4/5. It is definitely worth giving a visit. (As a disclaimer, the only Mexican restaurant I'd give a 5/5 would be Los Dos Potrillos, as it has all 3 components. La Loma would be close at a 4.5/5, but their margaritas are very expensive, but really good, and the food is incredible.)

Shirley A.

Love this place. I just wish we didn't have to drive so far to get here. On the other hand if we lived close I would be here all the time. We have been coming here for over 34 years and have never been disappointed. I love the green chili. It is so tasty. Sometimes it is really hot and other times not so much but it is always good. The beef burritos and the enchiladas are great. The staff is always friendly and the service is great. The restaurant is always clean, including the restrooms. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price this is the place to go.

Ricardo B.

Best Damn Bean Burrito in the state, Hot chile, cooking like my Mama's.

Marie D.

On top of our terrible dining experience, the experience continued with food sickness at home. Both myself and my husband got ill from this meal! Called and they took down our number. NO RETURN CALL.

Brian H.

Nothing overly special. I would head to Taco Bell and save your money. Salsa was bland and the chips greasy. Seems upscale until you get your food than it'll comes together. Will find a better place if I'm in the area again.

Ryan P.

Some of the best Mexican food in Denver period! I unfortunately have not eaten here since 2008 when I was verbally abused by the owner Molly, when I was just trying to make friendly small talk. Her only attempt at an apology was that she was having a bad day. If you look at other reviews on this place her pattern of going off on customers is consistent! If the owner would get rid of her high horse attitude and provide customers with a wait staff that actually has good customer service skills, this place would get five stars! I would go back but I don't want to be psychologically scarred for life! There are a couple of other Mexican restaurants with food almost as good that I can go to and be treated with respect!

Kristin R.

Don't waste your time! A group of 4 of us arranged to meet at La Cueva before seeing a show at the Fox Aurora. When we arrived at a little after 6pm (7:30 curtain call) we were told that it would be about a 15 minute wait. Close to an hour later, more than half the tables were empty but we were still the 8th name on the list. We figured the only way to get any food was to order some apps from the bar. We ordered a quesadilla and some nachos. (pretty simple food). These took so long to arrive that we had to each grab a piece of the quesadilla on the way out the door and we gave the nachos to another group that was waiting. (and was out $17 for food that was really ordinary.)

Jimmy S.

Very disappointed... Much of the food tastes like it came straight out of a can. Chile rellenos seemed to be boiled and beans tasted like they were purchased in the chip isle at the local grocery story. Great customer service would have made it better, but they seemed to be fresh out of that as well. Cheese and onion enchilada should be renamed onion and cheese. I think four years in Albuquerque might have spoiled me for good food. Green chile was the biggest disappointment. Probably deserve a 0 star rating.

Horacio J.

Normally you can get huge portions for little cost at a great mexican restaurant. I give this restaurant a one star for customer service, price and food preparation ; 3 for taste The staff is not friendly including the woman that provides the water and chips. Wondering why they are in business for the public if they hate the "public"? Which comes down to the price. The companies in it only for the money. From 2005 the plates have became small and price has dramatically increased. They had signs making excuse for the small portions recommended by F&D administration but could not find why all the plates doubled even tripled in price? Beans are cheap you can go anywhere on colfax for a combo plate for cheap! When recieving the plate there was no cheese, there was no chili on the burrito and the staff seems extremely agitated for a request for more chips and salsa. I wanted atleast to put the salsa on the burrito but thee wait person never came back and I wound up pouring the tbs of salsa on my burrito. So I give the food preparation a one star as well. Lastly, while the wait staff was cleaning off the other table the waitress poured the remaining water from the other table into my glass while walking by. I was so agitated by the lack of customer service and the comfortability of being rude to its customers... after being a loyal customer since 2005, it is very evident this restaurant does not value it's customers ARE IN IT JUST FOR THE MONEY and I in turn will not value this resturant.

Anna S.

I was trying to find a place to eat with my family before I ascended in to the air back to the Bay Area. Since it was my last chance to yelp a new spot, I grabbed the opportunity with two hands. Not sure what came over me, because rumor had it, that Mexican or latin food in the Denver area couldn't hold a light to Cali's offerings. But Mexican food calls out to me constantly! Salssssaaaaaaaaa, tortillaaaassss, guacamoleeeeeeeeeeee.... And then my mouth starts to salivate. Yes, the sight is not pretty. Yelp lead me here. It was close to the airport, got some solid reviews, and one from someone from Cali to top it off! Okay, I had to try it then. Long story short, the food was definitely different than I had expected in a few ways. Their refrijitos, which had awards on the wall, were scooped out onto the plate with in an ice cream scoop, and a small scoop at that. Well, as you guessed, any beans that can be scooped and placed on a platter while keeping its shape were not too moist. I am just not used to that. They weren't bad though, just not award worthy in my book. Rice was average. Fajitas were not cheap at close to 16 bucks, and had only a small portion of meat. A hearty meal if you are the only one eating, but seemed a little steap. Salsa and chips were good. The salsa had a kick to it which was good. I think that the best deal were the taco plates. The tacos and flautas were greasy, but definitely tasty. They fry the tacos and the meat is juicy. We also liked the chili rellenos with Green sauce. Spicy and cheesy. My fave combo. The service was good, and the waitstaff nice. I would have given the place 3 stars, for the steap prices, but I would much rather come here and support the mom and pops, than go to a place like El Torito or Acapulco's.

Tiffany N.

La Cueva is hard to explain because they excel in certain areas and fail miserably in others, but I'm gonna give it my best shot. A group of us went here for dinner the other night. When we showed up we were quoted a 30 minute wait, which was fine by me. That just means I get a pre-dinner cocktail. Score for me! So we grab a seat in the bar. I stood there for like 10 minutes while the guy washed what I believe was every glass in the place, without looking at me once. Then he began a serious scrub down of the bar top. Just when I began to think I would never have a margarita a lady came by and asked us if we wanted drinks. I asked her if they made coin-style margs. She looked at me in utter confusion. I ordered a regular margarita with no salt and received one with salt. No biggie. I just wiped it off. So we sat there and drank our drinks and ate chips and salsa. The chips were good- thin and crisp. The salsa was spicy, but full of onions. Like giant squares of diced onions. So many that at the end of the salsa there were probably a dozen or so pieces of onion in the bowl. My margarita on the rocks was good, but I did have one complaint. After the ordering confusion I order just the house margarita to make it easy. Apparently, at La Cueva the house margarita is not really the house. It's the second-to-the bottom margarita and costs $2 more than what I think of as the actual house margarita. Just a heads up. As for dinner, I had carne asada and it was fair. The green chili really is as spicy and delicious as everyone says, but out of 4 meals it was the only one that satisfied. Everything else was just okay. The best part was that the 3 other people all got their meals waaay before me. I mean long enough before me that one person was able to finish just as I was served. I'm sorry, I lied. The real best part was that 5 minutes after my food was finally delivered, the server came back to clear everyone else's plates, looked at me and asked, "Are you done with that?" I could only stare at her dumbfounded for about 30 seconds before I said, "No. I'm actually still working on it." So, if you're in the neighborhood and want a margarita and/or green chili I'd say it's worth stopping by. As for me, I wouldn't ever drive out there again to eat.

Nicholas N.

Great green chili and not much else. They have a variety of wines and the decor is really weird for a mexican joint. The wait is super long and the food is pretty mediocre other than the green chili. And the chili was really only good becuase it was really hot. So if you don't mind a long wait but want really hot green chili, you should go. I also felt like the wait for a drink at the bar was really long. Oh and they brought out our food at different times, I got my food like 10 minutes before my ladyhawk got hers so, although I am a gentleman, after it started to get cold I ate it. I was done right about the time she got hers and watched while she ate. So I guess, I just feel that this place is average at best. I'm not really excited to go back, but happy that I checked it out.

Art M.

I will say that La Cueva has a very friendly staff, they make you feel like you are family. I have been here several times, each time I have ordered something different. I've had the enchiladas, which were very good, very homemade taste. I have also tried the combo platters, each very tasty. The prices are a litter higher than that of other Mexican Restaurants, that is why I gave the 3 stars. Anyway..,:La Cueva is just a nice place to sit down and enjoy good Mexican food with friends and family.

Jeff C.

I think this should be a 2.5 rating. I decided to give it a 2 instead of a 3 because is was not reall A-OK and it was more "Meh. I've experienced better". I got a quesadilla and asked for beef. It came out and was the barbacoa (beef so I think it technically has a different name as I think barbacoa is pork). Anyway, it was the shredded beef that was in a broth, so it make the quesadilla really soggy. I really should have been carne asada or fajita meet that was grilled. The chips and salsa were ok, but nothing to write home about. They apparently charge for extra chips/salsa after the first complimentary round. I hesitated to ask for more salsa as I did not want to be charged, but I went ahead and did so. Fortunately they did not charge me for the seconds on the salsa. They are ok friendly here......pleasant but it is more of just going through the motions and not really being sincere about it. Probably won't come back.

Jodi A.

Chicken Mole'! Yum ! I loved this place ! Tried their greeen chili, big chunks of pork, great flavor. The service was a bit slow, we waited a while for our drinks, but the food showed up nearly at the same time. Loved the decor, the patio chairs in the front were odd and tall, okay for me, but I could see that clambering up on one of them and perching at the top could be hard for someone else. I'm sure we will be back to try more delicious food !

Orpheus R.

Excellent green chile salsa. Spicier than most, but for me it was the perfect amount of heat. I had the three combo burritos with the green chile salsa and cleaned the plate. They were very tasty. Margaritas were pretty good (we all had the house Margie's for $6), but a $10 Cadillac margarita was a bit ridiculous given the rest of the menu's pricing and sketchy neighborhood La Cueva is in. I will go back the next time im in Denver.

Stacy P.

I've been to La Cueva a few times with groups, always before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. So far, the service has been pretty inconsistent... no one had been outright rude, but we've had pretty long breaks between visits from waitstaff. Drinks and items from orders have been forgotten, but have been brought quickly upon the second request. Keep in mind, though, that the restaurant is probably busier before a show at the Fox than usual, and I never did see waitstaff just standing around doing nothing. The manager and owner were also quick to jump in when they could see a problem. Overall, the food has been pretty mediocre. As others have noted, many dishes don't come with rice and beans, and to order them as sides ends up pushing the tab above comparable restaurants in the area. Others have noted that the quality of the food seems to have taken a turn for the worse over time, and I suspect that this may be the case. There aren't a ton of dinner options in the area, so there may not be much incentive to want to get better. Others have complained about the salsa being heavy on onions - this is true, but is actually a positive for me. I love chunky salsa, and that at La Cueva has always seemed extremely fresh. Drinks in the bar area, margaritas especially, were pretty darned expensive for the quality - I haven't ordered one since my first time there.

David M.

My sister, cousin and I were looking for food in Denver. My sister, who lives here, suggested La Cueva. After coming back to the house and checking the Yelp reviews of La Cueva, I was really surprised to see so many reviews with a single star. We had a very good experience at the restaurant. The ingredients were all fresh, the chorizo was homemade and was very good. The margaritas were also good. The prices were a little high for the location, the atmosphere and for Denver, but they weren't exorbitant. However, you are getting fresh ingredients, not food dumped out of a can. The service was attentive and the woman who served us was very nice. I do recommend this restaurant.

Tamera F.

Three colleagues and I visited this restaurant after a recommendation from local Aurora educators. It was a disastrous visit from the beginning. The person bringing the beverages threw the straws across the table. She was rude when asked, "Are you our waitress?" We found hair in the salsa. When we told the waitress who we later found out was the sister of the owner, she looked as if to say, "What do you want me to do?" We requested she bring another bowl. Then one of our colleagues discovered two additional pieces of hair in her food. When this was brought to the waitresses attention she became angry and said they rarely have this happen. She then stormed away and spoke to local police officers that were in the restaurant eating. She brought another plate and said to our colleague that she did not understand why she kept finding the hair. She mumbled but we could not understand what she was saying. Our colleague then told her she would not eat the food. The waitress took the food from everyone at the table and said,"I have spoken to my police officer friend and you should leave. You do not belong here. Do not ever come back." We were in total shock and then she told our colleague," Don't worry you do not have to pay for the food." Our colleague told her it was not about paying for the food but about the service and asked if the people in the kitchen wore hair nets. The waitress confirmed that they did and then told us again to leave and removed all of our food never asking if we had finished our meal. Then the police officer came over and said, "She wants you to leave and you should leave." Another colleague tried explaining and he said, "We can talk outside." The police officer escorted us out of the restaurant as if we had commited a crime. This was the absolute worst experience we have ever had in any restaurant in the United States of America. We felt discriminted against as there were two African American women and two Caucasian women. The police officer told us that we did not belong in that area and that was a popular local restuarant with an interesting following. He continued to support her and her decision. The other officer suggested we post our experience on this site. Not only were we humiliated but then disciminated not only by the waitress but also by the police officers. I will never recommend or ever eat in this area again. The waitress never apologized for any hair or the poor customer service.

Dave B.

I had the combo burrito (a la carte) smothered with green. Excellent. Kick-ass chile verde. I really enjoyed the taste as it was not smothered by a ton of cheese. in fact, no cheese. The chile verde is chiles and not much else. No starch to thicken it up. No pork. The smoky flavor is great. 4 stars. The service was 2 stars. Slow to arrive. Indifferent attitude. Never returned to see how we were doing. They lost a beer sale purely because of the waitress. I like the atmosphere. I agree with Marco's review: "It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying."

S W.

Great food! I love the tacos and my husband had the crab enchillads and said they were the best he's had!!! Nice people and good service. Couldn't ask for more

Daniel B.

Eh, I am not sure how I really feel about this place. I have been going for awhile, but I think it is going downhill. I will give it a 4 four the benefit of all the good meals I had here in the past. Service was good, food was quick.

Simon K.

It seems La Cuerva has a strong reputation in Denver although for the life of me I can't understand the appeal. I was part of a lunch party of 12 and they seemed well prepared for us at first, we had the conservatory area and as we were led through the restaurant, I'll be honest, I quite liked what I saw of the interior. The illusion that the staff were prepared was somewhat dispelled by the patchy service. I'd guess there was a good 10 minutes between the first and last dishes to arrive on the table. Add to that a mistaken order ("Oh you wanted no meat?" - yes, that's generally the concept behind a vegetarian dish) and a "generous" 4 flour tortillas to split between 3 people (although when we pointed this out, they did give us another 4) and I was left wondering if they were even paying attention. But these are minor complaints and not the real crux of the problem with La Cueva. Frankly, the food was, at best, average. When done right, I really like Mexican food. I usually judge it on my experiences in New Mexico, having never made it south of the border. Unfortunately, too many restaurants serve a mess of congealed cheese, which to me, is an easy way out. I guess the Green Chili is dish to go for, judging by the reviews, however, one dish does not a good eatery make. As it turned out, I had the Chicken Mole which was distinctly average, served with the usual trimmings, plenty of food, but honestly, rather bland considering the flavours involved in a good mole. None of my companions appeared too taken with the place and I left distinctly underwhelmed. Maybe it deserves a second chance, maybe there are dishes that win and dishes to avoid, whatever, I can't see myself giving it a second chance.

Spencer S.

3 shredded beef burrito green or red chile! Good eating!

David C.

I go back and forth on La Cueva. We tend to go here every now and then for lunch, since it's close to campus, and we've had some good meals here. I enjoy their shredded chicken most, and the various combination plates certainly give you plenty of food. Chips are good, but salsa is very thin and watery. Service is very friendly, though often slow. Their margaritas have been pretty hit or miss, sometimes really tasty, sometimes pretty weak. And they're very pricey; a pitcher costs $30! Entrees are in the $8-12 range mostly, though there's an entire page of specialties that run about $15. Seems a little high for the neighborhood, don't you think? Parking is behind the building, in a funky lot that requires some serious navigation skills, but at least you don't have to park on Colfax. I like the place, and I know they've been around for a really long time, but I think they could be better.

David B.

I figured this would be a great place, considering how long it has been around, and the fact that it is a family-owned tradition. But I found it to be rather unremarkable. Go to pretty much any Mexican restaurant that's all decked out in bright, colorful decor and this is the food you'll get. The food is fine, but nothing special to set it apart from every other place that looks and feels just like it.

Cheryl L.

My co-workers used to gush about this place. So I thought "I've got to try it". However, I was let down and the servers didn't seem to really want to be there. I've tried it a couple of times and just couldn't find a descent groove of anything that was really that tasty.

Ben W.

Great mexican food! Try the chile rellenos or the tacos al pastor. A classic for Denverites!

Alex F.

The food is awesome. I sware all people do on the Internet is complain. Just because you probably spend your life watching shows like chopped and hell's kitchen you think your a real critic. The food here is affordable and delicious and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Mexican food.

Thomas S.

Not exactly what I had hoped for. Some good, some bad. I thought that the chips were great - they were thin, packed a nice pleasant crunch and had a great flavor. The salsa was disappointing. It tasted like something you'd get in a jar at the grocery store. The guac was fabulous, but the price was way too steep. $7.95 for what estimate to be no more than two avocados is a little ridiculous. But it is really tasty! Our margaritas were perfection - though it was disappointing that it wasn't happy hour and the prices were once again - quite steep. For an entree, we split an order of their slow roasted pork shoulder - it was good, though I felt that it lacked some flavor and was a bit dry. Overall, La Cueva is a nice place to eat. A fun spacious decor nestled into the historic Fletcher city center in Aurora.

Gabrielle G.

Yummy!Love the spicy green chili and soft, warm tortillas! Love it!

Erin W.

We happened upon this restaurant heading home from the Mexian mart. It looked cute on the outside so we decided to give it a whirl. I saw a Yelp sticker on the way in so I knew we were in a good place. :D The salsa was great - spicy just the way I like it. The service was friendly and the food was delicious. I'm not an adventerous eater when it comes to Mexican food but my chicken soft tacos with guac. were tasty and HUGE. Def. will go back next time I'm in the area.

Johanna K.

great family owned and operated Mexican restaurant. this is my go to place. it's not the absolute best Mexican restaurant in town but it's consistently good. DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT GETTING THE FRIED ICE CREAM

BAM BAM P.

Chicken Taquitos are delish and economical. Nice lighting. Closed on Sundays.

Nicholas A.

Worth a trip to Aurora for! Green chile is super hot! I highly recommend the Filete de Piscado in red sauce.

Mike M.

Get the filets de pescado. Amazing fish smothered in spicy green chili. You will love it. The other food was good, but the beans were WAY too thick and pasty.

Brittany H.

I had hoped for a little bit of a better experience from La Cueva, but I wasn't surprised in the least by it. First of all, to park here is a nightmare. The parking lot is behind the restaurant, so you have to navigate the off-shoots of East Colfax. And who does't enjoy that? But I can't really blame La Cueva for that nuisance. Although we were quickly seated, our server didn't realize that we were waiting to be served for at least 10 minutes, which I guess gave us plenty of time to choose an entree. Everything our party of three ordered was what I would consider to be "easily made" food at any Mexican restaurant: tacos (soft shelled and hard shelled) and flautas. After nearly 30 minutes, our meal finally arrived. Definitely tasty, and thankfully still hot. But sadly, if you wanted any sides with your tacos (rice, beans, etc), it would be an extra $3.50. A bit too pricey, really. Twas a mess to separate our bill as well. Ugh. Sadly, I would pass on La Cueva in the future for a lunch out with coworkers. The service was much too slow to make it back to work in an orderly fashion. Especially since the dinning room was only half full. Maybe their happy hour is good? I'm not sure I'll be back to find out...

Robert C.

Not true authentic Mexican food. We were very displeased with the service and food. Restaurant seemed nice and clean but food serviced was a different story. I would recommend to VP Rick Garcia to evaluate what the restaurant is not doing to keep current and new customers. Overall, Ajuua has not impressed our taste buds nor were we impressed with the services.

Sarah G.

La Cueva left me in a state of confusion. I want to like it for a few reasons but can't for too many. It certaily has street appeal which is why we drove the distance to give it a try. Upon entering it is warm and welcoming with a colorful palate lit with dancing candle light and individual lights above each table. At this point I was really excited and in the mood for some flavorful Mexican food that was different from the norm of cheesy, greasey mounds of meat with a side of salsa. Ok, here comes the hostess. Uh oh. She is clearly not excited to be seating another table and is is only 7 p.m. I will wait to judge based on the actual table side service. Can you say indifferent? Our waitress really did not seem to care at all that we were in her section and ready to spend some money. Beer (bottled), margarita (good, worth two) and salsa (fresh, mild and packed with onions)...let the food review begin. Wait, stop....what the hell is wrong with this menu? All four or five combos consist of a beef taco, refrito tostado, refrito burrito and an onion and cheese enchilada (all priced at $8.75 not including beans and rice). Yes, it clearly states that other combos can be made from the a la carte menu, buy why? Oh, I see. All the plates you really want to order cost $15.95. Wow. The Carne Asada - Chile and garlic marinated thin slices of tender beef, grilled and served with grilled onion, roasted jalapeño, pico, guacamole, and two flour or four corn tortillas sounds lovely as does the Haga Su Taco - Beef barbacoa (Mexican barbeque) marinated in black chiles, slow baked and grilled with onions, tomato, jalapeño, served with pico, guacamole, two flour or four corn tortillas BUT NOT for $15.95. None of the specialties are represented on the a la carte menu or the combos plates. A real downfall. So we ordered the chile rellenos and a chicken burrito a la carte and beans a la carte. The green chile is quite lovely with its smokey sense of straight forward heat. No pork here, just a wonderous array of fresh ingredients that dazzle with color and texture. Will it be enough? Sadly, no. The service and the food options will not draw us back down Colfax even though it is my favorite road in the state. Maybe we will try Rico Pollo 2 a few blocks to the west. Bummer.

Carol-Ann D.

Authentic and delicious mexican food that makes my tummy feel happy! Festive decor, clean and efficient set-up. The host/owner Norma is friendly and welcoming. The wait staff are courteous and quick. My only disclaimer - I work near here, but don't live nearby, so have only lunched here. Dinner may be a different experience.

Rosanne F.

Definately unimpressed, definately can do better picking out a Mexican restaurant in this area. Four of us met for dinner before a Fox Theatre show. + It is convenient to the theatre. + The interior is warm and inviting. - The kids in the room next to us were all really loud, it was very echo-y. I don't remember any background music. We found the menu to be very unfriendly and "bossy"..... The menu reads: Yes, these dishes (their specialties) take 20 minutes (because they have to thaw them?...) No, there can not be any substitutions, but you can build your own plate from the a la carte (you do the math). Yes, if you want rice and beans with your enchiladas it is $ 3.50 more (for a gob of dry beans and cold rice?!!). Every one of our entrees were ordered different, but every one looked the same with the same "straight from the can" enchilada sauce. We were sorely disappointed. The theatre recommends it as a "favorite place" so we aren't sure what we missed.

Malki V.

Frankly it has been a hit or miss, first time was ok, 2nd time was really good, third time was a miss, and the forth time was pretty good.

Cash B.

Decent mexican food, nothing special though, about on-par with most mexican food chains. I had the Chimi that, thankfully was crispy although it had a greasy flavor to it, and I'm comparing this to other chimis. Chips were cold and had sort of a soapy taste to them, Salsa tasted like cilantro, the patrons were a bit shady, bikers, some fat guys fighting at the bar and a crying baby have probably skewed my opinion of this place. Food gets a 3, atmosphere gets a 1

David T.

i hate to see an old favorite bite the dust but La Cueva has. We were regulars for many years but, sadly, it is no longer worth the trip out to Aurora. When Papa was still alive and before they expanded to accommodate the crowds, the food was pretty good (many, many moons ago). It had that home cooking thing going on. Sadly, not anymore. Every time we've been over the last couple of years (yes, we keep hoping things will get better) but we have been severely disappointed. I now rate them along with Benny's and the Blue Bonnet and, if you read my reviews, you know what I think of them. The food is nothing more than ordinary. Occasionally, you catch a glimmer of Papa in the green chile but that's just not enough. It's tired and boring and you can do soooo much better in Denver (even on far East Colfax) these days. And, don't get me started on the service - where do they find these people?? As others have said, this is a restaurant on life support and somebody pulled the plug.

Michael S.

Chris L.

Rex S.

If you need to have some great Mexican food and don't want to be disappointed this is the place! Had lots of great times here when I was at Lowery AFB.

Tracie B.

The dictionary defines complacent as follows: pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied. This describes the service at La Cueva. Although the food is excellent (I'll get to that later) the service is...well, not. We arrived for lunch and the three of us were promptly seated and then ignored for several minutes. The restaurant was about half full and it looked as if they were not under staffed. Finally our drink order was taken and we received a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa. We received our food in a reasonable amount of time. Then we were completely forgotten. No "can I get you a refill on your soda or bring you another beer" or "would you like some more chips" - nada. Yes, I did want a refill and yes my husband did want another beer but apparently our waitress was too busy to notice. The food however is great. The green chili is thin but not watery and full of flavor and lots of heat. After a few minutes getting used to the spice, the inside of your mouth adjusts and you're ready to eat more and more. I had a simple ala carte burrito which included beans and shredded beef, smothered with the fabulous green, and light amount of melted cheese, lettuce and tomato - simple and perfect. The chips are fresh, crisp and not greasy. Thy only need a bit of salt. The salsa is the only downer here - I agree with other Yelper's complaints that the salsa, although obviously homemade has way too much onion. It's like a bowl of onions with some tomatoes mixed in. Four stars for the food - two for the service. Since unless you live in Aurora, you practically have to pack a lunch just to drive there, they should make the experience worth your while. Sadly, the quality of the food does not really make it worth the trek.

Shin L.

Amedeo L.

Olivia L.

Cristen B.

Jessica P.

Spencer L.

Best meal ever, Denver has no better restaurant

Margaret N.

I don't really stray much from the menu, combo 2. But every time I go here, I leave satisfied...or at least rather full. The flavor of the beef tacos is quite good and I'm happy with the cheese and onion enchilada and the bean burrito. Like most Mexican restaurants you start off your meal with a basket of chips and salsa. They have recently added notes on their tables explaining that only the first basket and salsa are free. The ice cream sopapilla is a bit of a monster, but can be easily taken down by 3 people...for 2 it's a bit of a feat. The service is average, but the servers are nice. Regardless, when I'm willing to make the drive, I come here.

Dave B.

I had the combo burrito (a la carte) smothered with green. Excellent. Kick-ass chile verde. I really enjoyed the taste as it was not smothered by a ton of cheese. in fact, no cheese. The chile verde is chiles and not much else. No starch to thicken it up. No pork. The smoky flavor is great. 4 stars. The service was 2 stars. Slow to arrive. Indifferent attitude. Never returned to see how we were doing. They lost a beer sale purely because of the waitress. I like the atmosphere. I agree with Marco's review: "It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying."

David C.

I go back and forth on La Cueva. We tend to go here every now and then for lunch, since it's close to campus, and we've had some good meals here. I enjoy their shredded chicken most, and the various combination plates certainly give you plenty of food. Chips are good, but salsa is very thin and watery. Service is very friendly, though often slow. Their margaritas have been pretty hit or miss, sometimes really tasty, sometimes pretty weak. And they're very pricey; a pitcher costs $30! Entrees are in the $8-12 range mostly, though there's an entire page of specialties that run about $15. Seems a little high for the neighborhood, don't you think? Parking is behind the building, in a funky lot that requires some serious navigation skills, but at least you don't have to park on Colfax. I like the place, and I know they've been around for a really long time, but I think they could be better.

David B.

I figured this would be a great place, considering how long it has been around, and the fact that it is a family-owned tradition. But I found it to be rather unremarkable. Go to pretty much any Mexican restaurant that's all decked out in bright, colorful decor and this is the food you'll get. The food is fine, but nothing special to set it apart from every other place that looks and feels just like it.

Johanna K.

great family owned and operated Mexican restaurant. this is my go to place. it's not the absolute best Mexican restaurant in town but it's consistently good. DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT GETTING THE FRIED ICE CREAM

BAM BAM P.

Chicken Taquitos are delish and economical. Nice lighting. Closed on Sundays.

Nicholas A.

Worth a trip to Aurora for! Green chile is super hot! I highly recommend the Filete de Piscado in red sauce.

Mike M.

Get the filets de pescado. Amazing fish smothered in spicy green chili. You will love it. The other food was good, but the beans were WAY too thick and pasty.

S W.

Great food! I love the tacos and my husband had the crab enchillads and said they were the best he's had!!! Nice people and good service. Couldn't ask for more

David T.

i hate to see an old favorite bite the dust but La Cueva has. We were regulars for many years but, sadly, it is no longer worth the trip out to Aurora. When Papa was still alive and before they expanded to accommodate the crowds, the food was pretty good (many, many moons ago). It had that home cooking thing going on. Sadly, not anymore. Every time we've been over the last couple of years (yes, we keep hoping things will get better) but we have been severely disappointed. I now rate them along with Benny's and the Blue Bonnet and, if you read my reviews, you know what I think of them. The food is nothing more than ordinary. Occasionally, you catch a glimmer of Papa in the green chile but that's just not enough. It's tired and boring and you can do soooo much better in Denver (even on far East Colfax) these days. And, don't get me started on the service - where do they find these people?? As others have said, this is a restaurant on life support and somebody pulled the plug.

Anna S.

I was trying to find a place to eat with my family before I ascended in to the air back to the Bay Area. Since it was my last chance to yelp a new spot, I grabbed the opportunity with two hands. Not sure what came over me, because rumor had it, that Mexican or latin food in the Denver area couldn't hold a light to Cali's offerings. But Mexican food calls out to me constantly! Salssssaaaaaaaaa, tortillaaaassss, guacamoleeeeeeeeeeee.... And then my mouth starts to salivate. Yes, the sight is not pretty. Yelp lead me here. It was close to the airport, got some solid reviews, and one from someone from Cali to top it off! Okay, I had to try it then. Long story short, the food was definitely different than I had expected in a few ways. Their refrijitos, which had awards on the wall, were scooped out onto the plate with in an ice cream scoop, and a small scoop at that. Well, as you guessed, any beans that can be scooped and placed on a platter while keeping its shape were not too moist. I am just not used to that. They weren't bad though, just not award worthy in my book. Rice was average. Fajitas were not cheap at close to 16 bucks, and had only a small portion of meat. A hearty meal if you are the only one eating, but seemed a little steap. Salsa and chips were good. The salsa had a kick to it which was good. I think that the best deal were the taco plates. The tacos and flautas were greasy, but definitely tasty. They fry the tacos and the meat is juicy. We also liked the chili rellenos with Green sauce. Spicy and cheesy. My fave combo. The service was good, and the waitstaff nice. I would have given the place 3 stars, for the steap prices, but I would much rather come here and support the mom and pops, than go to a place like El Torito or Acapulco's.

Thomas S.

Not exactly what I had hoped for. Some good, some bad. I thought that the chips were great - they were thin, packed a nice pleasant crunch and had a great flavor. The salsa was disappointing. It tasted like something you'd get in a jar at the grocery store. The guac was fabulous, but the price was way too steep. $7.95 for what estimate to be no more than two avocados is a little ridiculous. But it is really tasty! Our margaritas were perfection - though it was disappointing that it wasn't happy hour and the prices were once again - quite steep. For an entree, we split an order of their slow roasted pork shoulder - it was good, though I felt that it lacked some flavor and was a bit dry. Overall, La Cueva is a nice place to eat. A fun spacious decor nestled into the historic Fletcher city center in Aurora.

Erin W.

We happened upon this restaurant heading home from the Mexian mart. It looked cute on the outside so we decided to give it a whirl. I saw a Yelp sticker on the way in so I knew we were in a good place. :D The salsa was great - spicy just the way I like it. The service was friendly and the food was delicious. I'm not an adventerous eater when it comes to Mexican food but my chicken soft tacos with guac. were tasty and HUGE. Def. will go back next time I'm in the area.

Gabrielle G.

Yummy!Love the spicy green chili and soft, warm tortillas! Love it!

Tricia H.

After reading the recent review, I realized I had never reviewed this place! OK, here's all I have to say --- green chili. The hottest, meanest, most delish chili I've ever had. I mean, ask my husband, I have spent entire Sundays trying to mimic their green chili using everything required of great chili, freshly roasted chilis, everything!! La Cueva's comes in one temp. and that's hot. Although you can opt for vegetarian (w/out the pork). I once read a review that said the person would be happy just sitting in a corner, all alone with their bowl of green chili. It's hot. I mean religious experience hot. Well, I guess there's more to say... flour tortillas. When I was about 10, my family lived about a mile away from my best friend at the time. She is now running (and has run in the past) in the Olympics by the way. Anyway, her family migrated from Mexico. Her mom stayed at home and cooked all day. One of the things I always looked forward to was coming over after school and chowing down on some hot off the griddle tortillas. So you must go to La Cueva if anything to try the tortillas. Second, the green chili. They have an impressive selection of tequila. Margs, I guess are just so so. That's a drawback. I'll speak for my husband now: He doesn't like the Southwestern/Mexican food I grew up on, he's more Calif. style. He LOVES their specialties, the fish, etc. Try that if you are a Calif. transplant searching for your home food. My only worry: The owners will call it quits someday!!

Carol-Ann D.

Authentic and delicious mexican food that makes my tummy feel happy! Festive decor, clean and efficient set-up. The host/owner Norma is friendly and welcoming. The wait staff are courteous and quick. My only disclaimer - I work near here, but don't live nearby, so have only lunched here. Dinner may be a different experience.

Rosanne F.

Definately unimpressed, definately can do better picking out a Mexican restaurant in this area. Four of us met for dinner before a Fox Theatre show. + It is convenient to the theatre. + The interior is warm and inviting. - The kids in the room next to us were all really loud, it was very echo-y. I don't remember any background music. We found the menu to be very unfriendly and "bossy"..... The menu reads: Yes, these dishes (their specialties) take 20 minutes (because they have to thaw them?...) No, there can not be any substitutions, but you can build your own plate from the a la carte (you do the math). Yes, if you want rice and beans with your enchiladas it is $ 3.50 more (for a gob of dry beans and cold rice?!!). Every one of our entrees were ordered different, but every one looked the same with the same "straight from the can" enchilada sauce. We were sorely disappointed. The theatre recommends it as a "favorite place" so we aren't sure what we missed.

Malki V.

Frankly it has been a hit or miss, first time was ok, 2nd time was really good, third time was a miss, and the forth time was pretty good.

Cash B.

Decent mexican food, nothing special though, about on-par with most mexican food chains. I had the Chimi that, thankfully was crispy although it had a greasy flavor to it, and I'm comparing this to other chimis. Chips were cold and had sort of a soapy taste to them, Salsa tasted like cilantro, the patrons were a bit shady, bikers, some fat guys fighting at the bar and a crying baby have probably skewed my opinion of this place. Food gets a 3, atmosphere gets a 1

Marco A.

It is sad to see a restaurant slowly dying. When La Cueva opened in the early 1970's, it was your typical small Mexican restaurant fighting to survive. Through the hard work and persistence of the Nunez family, they were able to build a restaurant that became a mainstay of downtown Aurora. Walk into La Cueva and you see the restaurant that hit its peak in the 1980's. The Southwestern decor and food all are typical of Mexican restaurants of twenty five years ago. There are very few of these 1980's style Mexican restaurants still around. The restaurant business is a dynamic industry. Interior design and menus have to change to retain business. A few restaurants refuse to change and in time they become institutions. They survive because they are great at what they do. However, most restaurants that refuse to change, just dissapear. I am amazed that La Cueva still survives. It is not great at what it does. The food and decor are very tired. The service is indifferent. The Nunez family must own their building. When their matriarch finally dies, I would be very surprised to see the business survive. Running a sucessful restaurant requires energy and a basic vitality. The next generation lacks these qualities.

Rex S.

If you need to have some great Mexican food and don't want to be disappointed this is the place! Had lots of great times here when I was at Lowery AFB.

Tracie B.

The dictionary defines complacent as follows: pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied. This describes the service at La Cueva. Although the food is excellent (I'll get to that later) the service is...well, not. We arrived for lunch and the three of us were promptly seated and then ignored for several minutes. The restaurant was about half full and it looked as if they were not under staffed. Finally our drink order was taken and we received a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa. We received our food in a reasonable amount of time. Then we were completely forgotten. No "can I get you a refill on your soda or bring you another beer" or "would you like some more chips" - nada. Yes, I did want a refill and yes my husband did want another beer but apparently our waitress was too busy to notice. The food however is great. The green chili is thin but not watery and full of flavor and lots of heat. After a few minutes getting used to the spice, the inside of your mouth adjusts and you're ready to eat more and more. I had a simple ala carte burrito which included beans and shredded beef, smothered with the fabulous green, and light amount of melted cheese, lettuce and tomato - simple and perfect. The chips are fresh, crisp and not greasy. Thy only need a bit of salt. The salsa is the only downer here - I agree with other Yelper's complaints that the salsa, although obviously homemade has way too much onion. It's like a bowl of onions with some tomatoes mixed in. Four stars for the food - two for the service. Since unless you live in Aurora, you practically have to pack a lunch just to drive there, they should make the experience worth your while. Sadly, the quality of the food does not really make it worth the trek.

Shin L.

This place is so good! I've never had real Mexican food before. I forgot what it was called, on what I had, but it was rice with pork and this big green chili and lots of cheese, it was soooooo packed with flavor and spicy too, loved it! I was really satisfied by how much flavor it had, even though it was a bit spicy for me to keep up with, I kept eating it. The chips and salsa were really good, I really enjoyed it, I can't wait to return to this place with my boyfriend because it makes it so much more fun to eat.

Amedeo L.

This is a great place and very special because they serve genuine fine home cooking from Guanajuato, where this family owned restaurants has its roots, generations ago. The ingredients are fresh and healthy, their sauces are extraordinary, light and tasty using skillfully the peppers so necessary to give the delicious taste in the better mexican cuisine. The recipes have been faithfully reproduced for generations and come from a sophisticated region. This is far better than the common mexican food you find all over, no comparison.

Olivia L.

I love this place more than life itself. Were talking real mexican food here people. Not tex mex. Just the spicy, rich, calorie infested good stuff. Its my hangover spot deluxe. Dont be put off by the location...I was at first. Im glad I got over that. Im addicted to their guacamole, their refrijitos, and their CHILI RELLENOS. Good god. Made the authentic way, they are soft and crispy at the same time and oozing with cheese. Personally, I wrap mine in a tortilla and put some rice, beans and green chili on top (beware-the green chili is just as spicy as everyone says....Im a wimp so I order mine on the side....veggie style). Ask for Patricia. She is a really good server and a total sweetheart. There is truly not one thing I dont love about this place except for the fact I am not there right now. Hmmm.....out to lunch perhaps?

Cristen B.

after reading all of the stellar reviews of La Cueva, I thought I would take my visiting family there this past weekend. The service was horrible, and we were seating right next to the kitchen with lots of traffic. The food was very good though, although a little hit-or-miss. My boyfriend had the mole, which was OK. I had the chicken guac tacos, which were a little boring in terms of toppings but had amazing flavor. The stellar dish of the night was the soup, it had a ton of ultra fresh ingredients and was amazing. The corn tortillas were a much bigger hit than the flour tortillas. And their tequila selection was pretty darn amazing. It is definitely a trek out there, although thank goodness for the parking lot in the back. I would go there again for soup and tacos.

Jessica P.

I went here on friday night and was not impressed. We waited a really long time to be seated and the margarita I had while waiting was weak sauce. When we finally sat down our waitress was rude and completely unprofessional (she actually checked to see how much food was left on my friends plate when she was done eating like she was judging her, even though she delivered it 10 min later than our plates) I ordered the chile Rellenos and they were pancaked out, totally weird tasting and soggy. The only thing that this place has going for them is heat. So if you like your mexican spicy and can endure going totally out of the way for so so food and service then go here.

Spencer L.

Best meal ever, Denver has no better restaurant

Michael S.

Great food. Good atmosphere and friendly staff. A bit overpriced; beans and rice are an extra charge.

Chris L.

Their green chile is some of the very best in metro Denver and it's one of the very, very few restaurants in all of Colorado that has excellent vegetarian green chile and a very good vegetarian chile relleno, so that's what draws me back again and again. But I also go for the excellent Prima Marg, the addictive salsa and chips, very good guacamole, the homemade tortillas, the sweet wait staff, and the comfy atmosphere. Some of their dishes are just average, some of their prices are a little high, but overall this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in metro Denver.

Michelle M.

It's been a few years but I'll never forget the experience I had with my friend. We decided to go here for lunch before picking my son up from daycare. We sat down and the waitress came to take our orders. I ordered chicken tacos. When the food arrived, I took one bite and didn't care for the taste of the sauce. I nicely told the waitress and asked if I could order something else from the menu. She immediately went back to the kitchen. Moments later another lady came out and I'm assuming she was the owner or manager. I nicely told her the same thing. She said "I don't care if you like my food or not. Get out". My friend and I sat there with our jaws dropped in shock for a few minutes. Then she came back and said "I thought I told you to get out". We were so embarrassed as the restaurant was quite busy. We grabbed our things and left. I hope the lady was just having a bad day but this was quite traumatic since I have never ever been treated this way before and honestly I'm surprised the restaurant is still in business if they treat there customers this way.

Daniel B.

Eh, I am not sure how I really feel about this place. I have been going for awhile, but I think it is going downhill. I will give it a 4 four the benefit of all the good meals I had here in the past. Service was good, food was quick.

Simon K.

It seems La Cuerva has a strong reputation in Denver although for the life of me I can't understand the appeal. I was part of a lunch party of 12 and they seemed well prepared for us at first, we had the conservatory area and as we were led through the restaurant, I'll be honest, I quite liked what I saw of the interior. The illusion that the staff were prepared was somewhat dispelled by the patchy service. I'd guess there was a good 10 minutes between the first and last dishes to arrive on the table. Add to that a mistaken order ("Oh you wanted no meat?" - yes, that's generally the concept behind a vegetarian dish) and a "generous" 4 flour tortillas to split between 3 people (although when we pointed this out, they did give us another 4) and I was left wondering if they were even paying attention. But these are minor complaints and not the real crux of the problem with La Cueva. Frankly, the food was, at best, average. When done right, I really like Mexican food. I usually judge it on my experiences in New Mexico, having never made it south of the border. Unfortunately, too many restaurants serve a mess of congealed cheese, which to me, is an easy way out. I guess the Green Chili is dish to go for, judging by the reviews, however, one dish does not a good eatery make. As it turned out, I had the Chicken Mole which was distinctly average, served with the usual trimmings, plenty of food, but honestly, rather bland considering the flavours involved in a good mole. None of my companions appeared too taken with the place and I left distinctly underwhelmed. Maybe it deserves a second chance, maybe there are dishes that win and dishes to avoid, whatever, I can't see myself giving it a second chance.

Spencer S.

3 shredded beef burrito green or red chile! Good eating!

Tiffany N.

La Cueva is hard to explain because they excel in certain areas and fail miserably in others, but I'm gonna give it my best shot. A group of us went here for dinner the other night. When we showed up we were quoted a 30 minute wait, which was fine by me. That just means I get a pre-dinner cocktail. Score for me! So we grab a seat in the bar. I stood there for like 10 minutes while the guy washed what I believe was every glass in the place, without looking at me once. Then he began a serious scrub down of the bar top. Just when I began to think I would never have a margarita a lady came by and asked us if we wanted drinks. I asked her if they made coin-style margs. She looked at me in utter confusion. I ordered a regular margarita with no salt and received one with salt. No biggie. I just wiped it off. So we sat there and drank our drinks and ate chips and salsa. The chips were good- thin and crisp. The salsa was spicy, but full of onions. Like giant squares of diced onions. So many that at the end of the salsa there were probably a dozen or so pieces of onion in the bowl. My margarita on the rocks was good, but I did have one complaint. After the ordering confusion I order just the house margarita to make it easy. Apparently, at La Cueva the house margarita is not really the house. It's the second-to-the bottom margarita and costs $2 more than what I think of as the actual house margarita. Just a heads up. As for dinner, I had carne asada and it was fair. The green chili really is as spicy and delicious as everyone says, but out of 4 meals it was the only one that satisfied. Everything else was just okay. The best part was that the 3 other people all got their meals waaay before me. I mean long enough before me that one person was able to finish just as I was served. I'm sorry, I lied. The real best part was that 5 minutes after my food was finally delivered, the server came back to clear everyone else's plates, looked at me and asked, "Are you done with that?" I could only stare at her dumbfounded for about 30 seconds before I said, "No. I'm actually still working on it." So, if you're in the neighborhood and want a margarita and/or green chili I'd say it's worth stopping by. As for me, I wouldn't ever drive out there again to eat.

Nicholas N.

Great green chili and not much else. They have a variety of wines and the decor is really weird for a mexican joint. The wait is super long and the food is pretty mediocre other than the green chili. And the chili was really only good becuase it was really hot. So if you don't mind a long wait but want really hot green chili, you should go. I also felt like the wait for a drink at the bar was really long. Oh and they brought out our food at different times, I got my food like 10 minutes before my ladyhawk got hers so, although I am a gentleman, after it started to get cold I ate it. I was done right about the time she got hers and watched while she ate. So I guess, I just feel that this place is average at best. I'm not really excited to go back, but happy that I checked it out.

Art M.

I will say that La Cueva has a very friendly staff, they make you feel like you are family. I have been here several times, each time I have ordered something different. I've had the enchiladas, which were very good, very homemade taste. I have also tried the combo platters, each very tasty. The prices are a litter higher than that of other Mexican Restaurants, that is why I gave the 3 stars. Anyway..,:La Cueva is just a nice place to sit down and enjoy good Mexican food with friends and family.

Jay K.

We just moved to this area and were recommended La Cueva by a friend who also resides here. I was a bit reluctant to try it because of the lower rating, but the bad reviews are honestly absurd. I'm not sure what people expect, but this is one of the better Mexican places. Maybe we got lucky (we've only been there once), but it was honestly pretty darn good. When it comes to Mexican, I am very picky about being a "regular" customer. There are key components that it must contain. There are so many of these around, there has to have a perfect combination of the following in order for a 5/5: 1) Great food (Entrees, chips/salsa) 2) Inexpensive (which I feel should be a staple of Mexican food) 3) Great Margaritas (100% must have) La Cueva has 2/3 of these in the bag. Their food was great. The staff did a good job and the Margaritas are excellent. The only problem is that it's a bit on the pricier side for me to become a regular. The food is fair enough, but the margs are expensive. Now, with that being said... the margs cost a bit more because they only have higher quality tequila stocked. Would love to see a $6 Cuervo House on the menu. Ha. We will be coming here again, but I'm not totally convinced this is a regular spot for me. Overall, I give it a 4/5. It is definitely worth giving a visit. (As a disclaimer, the only Mexican restaurant I'd give a 5/5 would be Los Dos Potrillos, as it has all 3 components. La Loma would be close at a 4.5/5, but their margaritas are very expensive, but really good, and the food is incredible.)

Shirley A.

Love this place. I just wish we didn't have to drive so far to get here. On the other hand if we lived close I would be here all the time. We have been coming here for over 34 years and have never been disappointed. I love the green chili. It is so tasty. Sometimes it is really hot and other times not so much but it is always good. The beef burritos and the enchiladas are great. The staff is always friendly and the service is great. The restaurant is always clean, including the restrooms. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price this is the place to go.

Ricardo B.

Best Damn Bean Burrito in the state, Hot chile, cooking like my Mama's.

Marie D.

On top of our terrible dining experience, the experience continued with food sickness at home. Both myself and my husband got ill from this meal! Called and they took down our number. NO RETURN CALL.

Brian H.

Nothing overly special. I would head to Taco Bell and save your money. Salsa was bland and the chips greasy. Seems upscale until you get your food than it'll comes together. Will find a better place if I'm in the area again.

Ryan P.

Some of the best Mexican food in Denver period! I unfortunately have not eaten here since 2008 when I was verbally abused by the owner Molly, when I was just trying to make friendly small talk. Her only attempt at an apology was that she was having a bad day. If you look at other reviews on this place her pattern of going off on customers is consistent! If the owner would get rid of her high horse attitude and provide customers with a wait staff that actually has good customer service skills, this place would get five stars! I would go back but I don't want to be psychologically scarred for life! There are a couple of other Mexican restaurants with food almost as good that I can go to and be treated with respect!

Horacio J.

Normally you can get huge portions for little cost at a great mexican restaurant. I give this restaurant a one star for customer service, price and food preparation ; 3 for taste The staff is not friendly including the woman that provides the water and chips. Wondering why they are in business for the public if they hate the "public"? Which comes down to the price. The companies in it only for the money. From 2005 the plates have became small and price has dramatically increased. They had signs making excuse for the small portions recommended by F&D administration but could not find why all the plates doubled even tripled in price? Beans are cheap you can go anywhere on colfax for a combo plate for cheap! When recieving the plate there was no cheese, there was no chili on the burrito and the staff seems extremely agitated for a request for more chips and salsa. I wanted atleast to put the salsa on the burrito but thee wait person never came back and I wound up pouring the tbs of salsa on my burrito. So I give the food preparation a one star as well. Lastly, while the wait staff was cleaning off the other table the waitress poured the remaining water from the other table into my glass while walking by. I was so agitated by the lack of customer service and the comfortability of being rude to its customers... after being a loyal customer since 2005, it is very evident this restaurant does not value it's customers ARE IN IT JUST FOR THE MONEY and I in turn will not value this resturant.

Jeff C.

I think this should be a 2.5 rating. I decided to give it a 2 instead of a 3 because is was not reall A-OK and it was more "Meh. I've experienced better". I got a quesadilla and asked for beef. It came out and was the barbacoa (beef so I think it technically has a different name as I think barbacoa is pork). Anyway, it was the shredded beef that was in a broth, so it make the quesadilla really soggy. I really should have been carne asada or fajita meet that was grilled. The chips and salsa were ok, but nothing to write home about. They apparently charge for extra chips/salsa after the first complimentary round. I hesitated to ask for more salsa as I did not want to be charged, but I went ahead and did so. Fortunately they did not charge me for the seconds on the salsa. They are ok friendly here......pleasant but it is more of just going through the motions and not really being sincere about it. Probably won't come back.

Jodi A.

Chicken Mole'! Yum ! I loved this place ! Tried their greeen chili, big chunks of pork, great flavor. The service was a bit slow, we waited a while for our drinks, but the food showed up nearly at the same time. Loved the decor, the patio chairs in the front were odd and tall, okay for me, but I could see that clambering up on one of them and perching at the top could be hard for someone else. I'm sure we will be back to try more delicious food !

Orpheus R.

Excellent green chile salsa. Spicier than most, but for me it was the perfect amount of heat. I had the three combo burritos with the green chile salsa and cleaned the plate. They were very tasty. Margaritas were pretty good (we all had the house Margie's for $6), but a $10 Cadillac margarita was a bit ridiculous given the rest of the menu's pricing and sketchy neighborhood La Cueva is in. I will go back the next time im in Denver.

Alex F.

The food is awesome. I sware all people do on the Internet is complain. Just because you probably spend your life watching shows like chopped and hell's kitchen you think your a real critic. The food here is affordable and delicious and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Mexican food.

Stacy P.

I've been to La Cueva a few times with groups, always before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. So far, the service has been pretty inconsistent... no one had been outright rude, but we've had pretty long breaks between visits from waitstaff. Drinks and items from orders have been forgotten, but have been brought quickly upon the second request. Keep in mind, though, that the restaurant is probably busier before a show at the Fox than usual, and I never did see waitstaff just standing around doing nothing. The manager and owner were also quick to jump in when they could see a problem. Overall, the food has been pretty mediocre. As others have noted, many dishes don't come with rice and beans, and to order them as sides ends up pushing the tab above comparable restaurants in the area. Others have noted that the quality of the food seems to have taken a turn for the worse over time, and I suspect that this may be the case. There aren't a ton of dinner options in the area, so there may not be much incentive to want to get better. Others have complained about the salsa being heavy on onions - this is true, but is actually a positive for me. I love chunky salsa, and that at La Cueva has always seemed extremely fresh. Drinks in the bar area, margaritas especially, were pretty darned expensive for the quality - I haven't ordered one since my first time there.

David M.

My sister, cousin and I were looking for food in Denver. My sister, who lives here, suggested La Cueva. After coming back to the house and checking the Yelp reviews of La Cueva, I was really surprised to see so many reviews with a single star. We had a very good experience at the restaurant. The ingredients were all fresh, the chorizo was homemade and was very good. The margaritas were also good. The prices were a little high for the location, the atmosphere and for Denver, but they weren't exorbitant. However, you are getting fresh ingredients, not food dumped out of a can. The service was attentive and the woman who served us was very nice. I do recommend this restaurant.

Cheryl L.

My co-workers used to gush about this place. So I thought "I've got to try it". However, I was let down and the servers didn't seem to really want to be there. I've tried it a couple of times and just couldn't find a descent groove of anything that was really that tasty.

Ben W.

Great mexican food! Try the chile rellenos or the tacos al pastor. A classic for Denverites!

Rachel P.

I was really surprised by some of the low star reviews that La Cueva received. I have been eating here for close to 20 years and the taste of the food is always the same! I used to get my fix once a week; however, since my job location changes I make sure to visit at least twice a month. This restaurant is only one of a few Mexican restaurants that I have been to in all of my years in Colorado (born and raised, with a mother that LOVES Mexican food) that serves everything house made, even the tortillas! When guests come to town, this is always their choice for Mexican food. I have tried pretty much everything on the menu...the shredded beef and chicken burritos smothered with green chile and queso cheese are pretty much my usual orders, but my husband loves the tamales and the chile rellenos that are both served with your choice of green or red chile. I have never had the red chile as I'm a green chile fan. La Cueva does not disappoint on the green chile that looks like gravy and lacks flavor. Because the green chile is made daily the spice index of the green chile can range from spicy to hot depending on the heat of the chile pepper. Molly and Alfonzo (the owners) are quick to let you know how spicy the chile is prior to ordering.The meat is stewed with seasonings and tomatoes. The enchiladas are made with homemade corn tortillas, white queso cheese, and an enchilada sauce that tastes like it has a hint of mole in it. Another plus for them, they do not use yellow cheese that takes away the flavor of the food, but authentic Mexican white cheeses that enhance the flavor of the meat and the chile. Need a margarita fix? The margaritas seem pricey but they are served in fish bowl sized glasses. One or two are pretty much all you need, unless you want to walk out of the restaurant sideways. The service can be a bit slow if they are crowded (the most I waited to order was 10 minutes), however, the food takes no time to come out of the kitchen and when it comes out, it's piping hot. The only things that I have found disappointing here is the chips and salsa; the chips lack flavor and the salsa consists of tomatoes and onions with a spicy kick. And, I think that they overcharge for extras such as a side of sour cream. Compared to the many other Mexican restaurants in and around the Denver and Aurora metro areas, the cost of the food has not escalated that much since I started eating here 20 years ago.

Jonel B.

I have been eating here since I was a toddler. And it has never, not even once, disappointed me. The refried beans are the best I've ever eaten... From Colorado, to California, to Mexico. The meat is tender and delicious. And the service is amazing... It is so great to be a part of a family owned dining atmosphere with incredible food. My mind is boggled by anybody rating this with three stars or less. Seriously. It won't disappoint. But do be ready to take the bus/a taxi home if you plan to drink margaritas. They're as strong as they are delicious.

Ava K.

Came here for dinner with friends. I asked the waitress if she could bring us some spicy salsa. She told us "I wish" but that they didn't have anything spicier. We had the Queso La Cueva, which wasn't even queso. It was a bunch of ground meat with some melted cheese on top. We also had the guacamole, which needed more flavor. Then we had the Haga Su Taco and the Fajitas de Camarones. They were very bland and tasteless. We were really disappointed and won't be coming back here. There are much better Mexican restaurants in Denver.

Brittany H.

I had hoped for a little bit of a better experience from La Cueva, but I wasn't surprised in the least by it. First of all, to park here is a nightmare. The parking lot is behind the restaurant, so you have to navigate the off-shoots of East Colfax. And who does't enjoy that? But I can't really blame La Cueva for that nuisance. Although we were quickly seated, our server didn't realize that we were waiting to be served for at least 10 minutes, which I guess gave us plenty of time to choose an entree. Everything our party of three ordered was what I would consider to be "easily made" food at any Mexican restaurant: tacos (soft shelled and hard shelled) and flautas. After nearly 30 minutes, our meal finally arrived. Definitely tasty, and thankfully still hot. But sadly, if you wanted any sides with your tacos (rice, beans, etc), it would be an extra $3.50. A bit too pricey, really. Twas a mess to separate our bill as well. Ugh. Sadly, I would pass on La Cueva in the future for a lunch out with coworkers. The service was much too slow to make it back to work in an orderly fashion. Especially since the dinning room was only half full. Maybe their happy hour is good? I'm not sure I'll be back to find out...

Robert C.

Not true authentic Mexican food. We were very displeased with the service and food. Restaurant seemed nice and clean but food serviced was a different story. I would recommend to VP Rick Garcia to evaluate what the restaurant is not doing to keep current and new customers. Overall, Ajuua has not impressed our taste buds nor were we impressed with the services.

Edward D.

Best Chile Rellenos I've ever had. The decor is charming and the atmosphere is warm (and so is the staff). I've had the same dish everytime I've been there. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu... Oh, and they have countless varieties of tequilas!

Sarah G.

La Cueva left me in a state of confusion. I want to like it for a few reasons but can't for too many. It certaily has street appeal which is why we drove the distance to give it a try. Upon entering it is warm and welcoming with a colorful palate lit with dancing candle light and individual lights above each table. At this point I was really excited and in the mood for some flavorful Mexican food that was different from the norm of cheesy, greasey mounds of meat with a side of salsa. Ok, here comes the hostess. Uh oh. She is clearly not excited to be seating another table and is is only 7 p.m. I will wait to judge based on the actual table side service. Can you say indifferent? Our waitress really did not seem to care at all that we were in her section and ready to spend some money. Beer (bottled), margarita (good, worth two) and salsa (fresh, mild and packed with onions)...let the food review begin. Wait, stop....what the hell is wrong with this menu? All four or five combos consist of a beef taco, refrito tostado, refrito burrito and an onion and cheese enchilada (all priced at $8.75 not including beans and rice). Yes, it clearly states that other combos can be made from the a la carte menu, buy why? Oh, I see. All the plates you really want to order cost $15.95. Wow. The Carne Asada - Chile and garlic marinated thin slices of tender beef, grilled and served with grilled onion, roasted jalapeño, pico, guacamole, and two flour or four corn tortillas sounds lovely as does the Haga Su Taco - Beef barbacoa (Mexican barbeque) marinated in black chiles, slow baked and grilled with onions, tomato, jalapeño, served with pico, guacamole, two flour or four corn tortillas BUT NOT for $15.95. None of the specialties are represented on the a la carte menu or the combos plates. A real downfall. So we ordered the chile rellenos and a chicken burrito a la carte and beans a la carte. The green chile is quite lovely with its smokey sense of straight forward heat. No pork here, just a wonderous array of fresh ingredients that dazzle with color and texture. Will it be enough? Sadly, no. The service and the food options will not draw us back down Colfax even though it is my favorite road in the state. Maybe we will try Rico Pollo 2 a few blocks to the west. Bummer.

Jim B.

Been coming here over 20 years, watching quality subtly decline...while no longer great, it is still good. Most recent visit consistent with this assessment...however, service was a huge disappointment...

Tamera F.

Three colleagues and I visited this restaurant after a recommendation from local Aurora educators. It was a disastrous visit from the beginning. The person bringing the beverages threw the straws across the table. She was rude when asked, "Are you our waitress?" We found hair in the salsa. When we told the waitress who we later found out was the sister of the owner, she looked as if to say, "What do you want me to do?" We requested she bring another bowl. Then one of our colleagues discovered two additional pieces of hair in her food. When this was brought to the waitresses attention she became angry and said they rarely have this happen. She then stormed away and spoke to local police officers that were in the restaurant eating. She brought another plate and said to our colleague that she did not understand why she kept finding the hair. She mumbled but we could not understand what she was saying. Our colleague then told her she would not eat the food. The waitress took the food from everyone at the table and said,"I have spoken to my police officer friend and you should leave. You do not belong here. Do not ever come back." We were in total shock and then she told our colleague," Don't worry you do not have to pay for the food." Our colleague told her it was not about paying for the food but about the service and asked if the people in the kitchen wore hair nets. The waitress confirmed that they did and then told us again to leave and removed all of our food never asking if we had finished our meal. Then the police officer came over and said, "She wants you to leave and you should leave." Another colleague tried explaining and he said, "We can talk outside." The police officer escorted us out of the restaurant as if we had commited a crime. This was the absolute worst experience we have ever had in any restaurant in the United States of America. We felt discriminted against as there were two African American women and two Caucasian women. The police officer told us that we did not belong in that area and that was a popular local restuarant with an interesting following. He continued to support her and her decision. The other officer suggested we post our experience on this site. Not only were we humiliated but then disciminated not only by the waitress but also by the police officers. I will never recommend or ever eat in this area again. The waitress never apologized for any hair or the poor customer service.

Britt I.

I'm surprised by the low reviews! I have been going to La Cueva for years for authentic and delicious mexican food. My grandmother is incredibly picky and this is one of her favorite restaurants. The owners are always very nice, service is good, and we love the tamales. When I'm looking for a treat, I go for the crab enchiladas. We've never had a bad experience and I look forward to many more with this neighborhood favorite.

Caley M.

Tried this place for the first time tonight. It was cute inside and had friendly service. The food is way overpriced though, I couldn't believe it. Most entrees are $17 and the cheapest are $11, and $3.50 extra if you want rice and beans. I don't mind paying more if the food is amazing but it was a C grade. My hard shell tacos were so soggy I couldn't eat them, the chips were cold, and the salsa was watered down tomato sauce with diced onions. Margs were good though! Unfortunately we won't be back.

Hannah Y.

Meh I have experienced better is exactly the way I rate my experience. The best part about this place were the chips. The salsa tasted like tomato soup with onion. I had the combo number three. It came with a shredded beef taco, been burrito and cheese and onion enchilada. I am 99% positive that the food was frozen. My taco was soggy and drowning in water. My plate with the burrito and enchilada was also soaked in water. Usually, water comes from meals that are frozen. I will definitely not be coming back here. I love Mexican food and come from a Mexican family and I know what my food is supposed to taste like. I prefer La Fogata over this place!

Katie B.

I recently went to La Cueva before seeing a show at the Aurora Fox. The food was okay, but nothing spectacular. I ordered a combination with an enchilada, taco, and burrito. I enjoyed the enchilada and the burrito, but although the taco meat was delicious, it was so wet and greasy that the shell became a soggy mess. The servers were friendly and attentive, but the service was a bit slow. I wouldn't hesitate to go back before a show as long as I gave myself ample time, but La Cueva is not a restaurant I would go to on a consistent basis.

Tabatha C.

Stopped in for a small bite before we went to a show at Aurora Fox. Very busy on a Friday night but we sat at the bar and it was comfortable. I ordered the most basic food-1 scoop guacamole and a bean burrito with red chile. The guac was pretty heavy on the onions and the burrito was fine; the tortilla tasted homemade. The bartenders were attentive and made sure we had our check ready so we could make our show. I'd like to come back and have a full meal. I just need to make sure and get there earlier.

Bruce P.

Has to be the best Mexican I've ever had in Colorado if not anywhere. Sopapillas were light and fluffy, red sauce was awesome. Special was can enchiladas, with real crab. I think people make the mistake of coming in before a show and it's too busy. Come another night and you'll love it!

RJ F.

Went here with family. My son and I do not eat onion. We ordered our food stating no onions please and even asked if onions were optional. When we received our food to our surprise onions were present in both dishes. The staff already unhelpful and slow became rude. Stating everything they serve has onions. When I argued I had asked for none she just said nothing on our menu comes without them. I asked for a manger and when one came I was offered a bean burrito! Wft? Really? It's should have been said and we would have went elsewhere. My son and I did not eat our food and we're still expected to pay for it. I refused and one dish was taken off. All in all a horrible experience.

Kristin R.

Don't waste your time! A group of 4 of us arranged to meet at La Cueva before seeing a show at the Fox Aurora. When we arrived at a little after 6pm (7:30 curtain call) we were told that it would be about a 15 minute wait. Close to an hour later, more than half the tables were empty but we were still the 8th name on the list. We figured the only way to get any food was to order some apps from the bar. We ordered a quesadilla and some nachos. (pretty simple food). These took so long to arrive that we had to each grab a piece of the quesadilla on the way out the door and we gave the nachos to another group that was waiting. (and was out $17 for food that was really ordinary.)

Jimmy S.

Very disappointed... Much of the food tastes like it came straight out of a can. Chile rellenos seemed to be boiled and beans tasted like they were purchased in the chip isle at the local grocery story. Great customer service would have made it better, but they seemed to be fresh out of that as well. Cheese and onion enchilada should be renamed onion and cheese. I think four years in Albuquerque might have spoiled me for good food. Green chile was the biggest disappointment. Probably deserve a 0 star rating.