We stopped in here last night for dinner while we were up at Estes Park. This place is usually pretty consistent when we eat here but on this night it did not live up to expectations and we left disappointed. First we were told they do not do a Happy Hour this time of year, only in the winter time which was a big turn off and part of the reason we came back here. Second I ordered what I had last time the #3 combo yet this time it looked like it had been down sized it was so small. There was barely any green chile on the burrito and for $12.99 this is absurd. The enchilada really lacked flavor and seemed like since they were very busy things were thrown together like an assembly line. I am dropping my rating for this place and feel they need to re-evaluate how they operate. Too many reviews on here all have the same vibe. If you pay this extra price they charge they should provide a better meal.
(2)
Jodi W.
This place was very expensive for what was served. My husband had the enchiladas that were suppose to be mild and they were so hot he couldn't eat them. I had fajitas and the tortillas were moldy, we told the owner and he denied it was mold and only offered new tortillas. The reason the Gringo was Gumpy is because the food was awful!
(1)
Mandy R.
Food was bad and service was mediocre. $45 for two drinks and two entrees that we didn't even finish. Three of us have ended up sick from GG and a fourth who we talked to that wasn't in our party. Do not recommend.
(1)
Lillian T.
They changed their menu. Apparently, they're rebranding themselves as Grumpy Gringo Estes Roadhouse. We loved their previous Mexican menu, so we figured we'd give it another try. We ordered a ton of food - tacos, enchiladas, burritos - but right off the bat, we were informed that sopapillas were no longer part of the menu! My little brother was sad, so we ordered a boatload of churros to compensate. The enchiladas were fantastic! My little brother, normally a very picky eater, ate an entire one and raved about it. The beef tacos were also very good, but perhaps a little strong on the seasoning. But the BURRITOS, lord, whoever changed the burrito recipe should be immediately hung out to dry. The vegetarian (bean and cheese) burrito was full of weird poblano peppers and slimy onion slices. The texture just didn't work. Good thing we ordered enough food to make up for inadequate burritos!
(3)
Jason S.
Do you hate yourself? Eat here! We had a "chicken quesadilla". It was canned chicken. And I mean obviously canned chicken. Overpriced, shitty decor. Tourist trap.
(1)
Correy H.
A group of us visited the Grumpy Gringo during a recent retreat and it quickly became our go to place for appetizers and drinks. The margaritas were very tasty (and strong) as well as their other well drinks. I recommend their chips and guacamole or queso. The service was decent the few times we went -- but could be a bit more attentive. Overall - the next time Im in Estes Park, i'll swing by.
(4)
Shea W.
Ok. I didn't try the food, because I was warned not to by several locals. That speaks volumes, let's be honest. I always trust a local. I did go to have some margaritas though, because we thought we had a coupon for free ones. I had the peach frozen margarita. 7 dollars and maybe not even half a shot of tequila. Not cool. The restaurant itself feels just, gross. Like casabonita a little... The waitress was absolutely fabulous though and I tipped her HUGE. I would say if you are staying in one of the hotels around this restaurant it may be worth it to MAYBE get a marg here... MAYBE. If its in walking distance. Also, if you get the Groupon for Murphy's Resort (where they say they are giving you a free coupon for a marg at Grumpy Gringo) just be aware that the coupon is actually for a different restaurant called Mex-Kal or something? It was extra disappointing I had to pay for my peach smoothie that I thought was gonna have tequila...
(2)
Kyle J.
My family has vacationed in Estes Park each year over the past 10 years and the Grumpy Gringo has been a yearly tradition. We made it a point to eat at the Gringo the first night of vacation for authentic Mexican food. This year, was very disappointing. They tore down walls to open up the restaurant to a cafeteria style seating and overhauled their menu to include chicken fried steak? Really? I ordered my normal enchiladas, they came out cold and tasted like true "Gringos" cooked the plate. For my family, it's sad that this restaurant has gone down hill so fast. We won't return!
(1)
Kaylee W.
This is the most disgusting restaurant in Estes. Do not make a mistake and go here. They have a terrible atmosphere and gross food.
(1)
D P.
we stopped here after a full day at the Scottish fest on Sat Sept 8th 2012. There were 5 in my party we only ordered 5 main dish's and 5 sodas, no appetizers or alcohol. With tip the bill was $90 bucks, for example Two cheese enchiladas, rice and beans. 10.99. thats 5 bucks per cheese enchilada... pretty high for a Mexican joint offering below average Mexican food and the cheese enchilada tasted like canned nacho cheese sauce bought on the discount isle at the grocery store. The salsa was the only thing that had a little bit of heat to it. i agree with what others have said the food was not only bland but almost tasteless. no flavor at all. The Margaritas comes from a premix drawn from a tap... seriously how fricken hard is it to make a margarita?? my advice to the owners and management. Add some flavor to your food, stop using canned liquid nacho cheese and learn how to make a margarita! for the review posted by Mikellie w. i dont know what part of Colorado you guys travel through but Colorado is full of Mexican joints .
(2)
Curtis S.
The food was quite good, but well overpriced. My wife was charged $1.50 for a small dollop of sour cream. Also, if we hasn't had looked carefully at the menu we wouldn't have seen that the chips and salsa on the table would have been charged to our bill if we got a refill. Neither the hostess nor the waitress informed us of that so if people aren't careful they could easily rack up quite the bill just for chips and salsa refills.
(3)
Amber B.
Do yourself a favor, keep driving. Microwave anyone?
(2)
Mary Jo S.
The Grumpy Gringo is not properly named. It should be the Happy Gringo as this tourist prepared Mexican food would make any gringo's bland taste buds happy. The staff is friendly and very accommodating and very honest. For example, when I asked how hot is Grumpy's green chili (listed as HOT!) when compared to the salsa which was tasty but mild, they said I would probably need a few more chilies added to my huevos. They were right. I also appreciate that they served breakfast all day as I love huevos rancheros and they have lighter fare dishes which were just the right sized late lunch for the husband. Good solid tourist food in Estes Park.
(3)
Kelley S.
We stopped for lunch and shared some fajitas; they were really good. The rice and beans were especially delicious. And, I liked the salsa and chips. The server was friendly, and the restaurant was clean and bright. We're from Texas, and we thought it was pretty darn good (as you can imagine, we're Tex-Mex connoisseurs), especially for Estes Park. We definitely give it two thumbs up!
(4)
Rachelle B.
Don't get what all the bad reviews are about. Had dinner here tonight; chips and salsa were fresh and homemade---and complimentary! the salsa was tasty and spicy and the guac was a little bland but freshly made from avocados---thankfully not store bought stuff ... the restaurant DOES have "gringo" in the name, so, kind of expect it to be not so spicy. The waiter offered to add chopped jalapeño to the guac and salsa if we wanted it spicier. We were seated immediately despite a rather full restaurant. The waiter made a couple of mistakes, but apologized and mentioned it was his first shift on his own. He was friendly and attentive. Our group had the taco salad, enchiladas, and nachos...nothing to write gourmet magazine about, but it was solid food at a solid price. The complaints in the previous reviews, at least from my experience this evening, are unfounded. However, I would advise you to skip the mojito---it's made with a mix, you'll do yourself a favor to go for the margarita instead.
(3)
Nick S.
came here one day after climbing. go to eds cantina. better food and service.
(2)
Christine M.
A T.V. Dinner would have been better. And over-priced for the poor quality of food. However .... the service was FAST. We could not believe how fast the food came out. I guess to get you out as quick as possible cuz they knew how bad it was. I am wondering if I had a drink, maybe the food could have had the possibility of tasting better. However, the salsa was not half bad. I have had better .... but it was the highlite of the whole meal. I tried to give zero-stars ... but it is required to leave atleast one.
(1)
Jacque O.
Typical Mexican food. Greasy and over priced for what it was. Not much of a fan.
(1)
Tracie D.
Stopped in last weekend to give it a try. Our server was very polite. However, salsa tasted like it came from a jar, queso was probably from a jar as well. Tortilas were from a package. Expensive as well. $20 for chips, salsa and cheese dip and 2 ice teas. Tried it once and won't go back.
(2)
Mikelle W.
Pretty good. It's typical Mexican food. We stopped here because there isn't very many Mexican food places in Colorado; we're from Texas and were craving some good food! It was quiet, the staff was friendly, and the drinks were good. Happy hour is from 4-6, and the first round of chips & salsa are free but anything after that and you have to pay $3.25. Worth stopping by!
(4)
Ed S.
We went to the Grumpy Gringo on 10/1 when we came up to attend the Estes Park Elk Fest. The place was moderately busy, but not slammed like one would expect of a restaurant at on a regular Saturday night, much less during a festival weekend. The service was horrible! After we were seated, it took at least 15 mins. before our server, Antonio, acknowledged we were there. He left to get our chips & salsa, but didn't bother taking our drink orders. By the time he finally came back to take our drink orders, we had already looked over our menus & asked if we could go ahead & order. He seemed flustered & unable to keep our orders straight. He also didn't know the menu very well, because he couldn't answer simple questions like,"Is there cilantro in this dish?" without checking with the kitchen first. About 10 mins. after we ordered, another party of 10 was seated at the table next to us. Antonio was their server too. About 20 mins. after the other party arrived, Antonio served meals to our table. Unfortunately, all but 2 of the meals were for the other table. He apologized for the confusion, delivered the food to the other party, & went to check on our orders. The other table joked that we should've just eaten their meals. Another 30 mins. passed & Antonio didn't even come by to see if we needed more chips & drinks while we waited for our meals. Carole, the owner/hostess, came back & noticed that we still hadn't been served yet & apologized. She took our drink orders & went into the kitchen to find our meals. Shortly afterwards, Antonio delivered another round of meals to our table. This time they were actually ours, although he still had difficulty figuring out who had which meal. He also forgot 2 of our meals & it took another 10 mins. before those meals came out. The food was fair, but not fantastic. Some of the dinners were already cold by the time they reached our table. I presume they'd been sitting in the kitchen waiting for our server to deliver. By that time, we just wanted to get on with our night so no one bothered sending their meals back. Carole came by apologized again & offered to comp our table some sopapillas for our inconvenience. We thanked her & asked her to have Antonio go ahead & get them going because we were about halfway through our meals & were anxious to get going after our dinner. After we finished our meals, we told Antonio that it was getting late & asked if we could just get the sopapillas to go. To our dismay, he hadn't even placed the dessert order with the kitchen yet. We were ready to leave without them, but he insisted it wouldn't take long. When we finally got our bill, we noticed that there was an 18% gratuity already added to our bill because of the size of our party. A member of our party complained to Carole about this, Carole's demeanor went from the kind, polite hostess we met earlier to a rude, belittling, raving lunatic in seconds flat. Not since watching Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde have I seen anyone change so quickly! She should really be on medication. She accused us of wanting to stiff the waiter. STIFF?!! What happened to tips being earned for good service? For me, 20% gratuity is standard & customary for average service & it's not unusual for me to pay 25-30% or more for great service. It wasn't until our friend said he would pay the bill in its entirety & dispute the gratuity charge with his credit card company did she finally agreed to remove the gratuity from our bill. As we filled out the corrected credit card slips in the main lobby, Carole proceeded to tell us, "Don't come back!" Although I tried to diffuse the situation by telling Carole that I was raised in a restaurant (My father was a restaurateur) & that we weren't necessarily unhappy with her or her restaurant, just this particular server, I never got the chance. As soon as I said, I was raised in a restaurant, Carole quickly interrupted me by saying, "I don't care if you were raised in H*LL!" Pardon me?! She then verbally attacked my friend & me by calling us, "A**HOLES," multiple times as we were leaving. Fortunately, our wives & children had already gone out to the cars & were spared from this verbal assault. I am still stunned that THE OWNER defended her server so vehemently when his service was so obviously subpar & even more aghast that she chose to go on her tirade right in the middle of the lobby, right next to the dining room & bar where other patrons were still seated. It's apparent that the old adage, The customer is always right, doesn't exist in her world. Business must be so good that she doesn't need any more customers. Our experience at the Grumpy Gringo completely ruined what was otherwise a great day in Estes Park! So, if you like slow service, fair food, & verbal abuse, please dine at the Grumpy Gringo; however, if you are looking for a relaxing, enjoyable dining experience after a great day in Estes Park, I HIGHLY recommend you go elsewhere!!!
(1)
Michelle S.
We thought this place would be fun because of the name. Turns out, I was just a grumpy gringo when I left. The only thing I liked on my plate was a crispy chili relleno. The ($7.50) drink was gross-like syrup and hardly any alcohol in it, and our waiter seemed to be afraid of us. We had to wait 10 minutes just for someone to come to our table and ask what we wanted to drink (it was not busy at the time). It's decorated rather blandly, all white with a bunch of fake flowers everywhere. The food is overpriced and greasy. We would never go back.
(1)
Melissa K.
Do not waste your time. There were only a couple of cars in the parking lot, but we thought it was because there was a festival going on downtown. Turns out, everyone else must know not to go there. Bad service even to get seated. The chips were stale -- even my two boys (6 and 9) who LOVE chips said they were nasty. When I ordered a child's quesadilla for my youngest, I asked if he could have rice and beans as opposed to fries and the waiter said it didn't come with sides! It was $6.50!!!! He said, "Well, it's a 6 inch tortilla.". Are you kidding me??? That's small. We paid for our drinks and left. I can't rate the food, but something tells me it would've been as bad as the service, prices, and old chips. We went to The Other Side and had a great burger. After this experience, I talked to other folks who said it was bad, too.
(1)
Alice G.
While the food at Grumpy Gringo is uninspired, the menu is tired, and the place is dead......the food and experience is not bad, but won't bring you back time after time. In a pinch, it is just fine. We tried the small combo- It included a skinny enchilada, a chili relleno (not bad!), a standard beef taco (they could have heated the shell!), black beans and spanish rice. It was fine. I ate most of it. The boyfriend tried the street tacos, and beside a couple tablespoons of mayonaissey sauce on one of the tacos, he said they were ok. This experience was fine, but in Estes for Mexican, there are other options. However, service was nice, the place was clean, and there was nothin' to be hatin' on as hard as the reviews suggest--in Alice's opinion...Safe!
(3)
Kathy K.
This post is a month or two late. My boyfriend and I had the opportunity to enjoy this nice little restaurant while in Estes Park. It was very convenient since it was along the strip of the majority of the hotels. The service was great, from the hostess to our server. The owner also came to talk to us, which was really nice. We ordered wwaayy too much food. The smothered fries or papitos fries was delicious, especially with the chorizo topping. Yum Yums! They also make their own special chipotle sauce that was amazing! They also gave large portions for the entrees. We will definitely return to Grumpy Gringo's when we're back in Estes!
(4)
Ken K.
This place was gross. Both my wife and myself got sick. Never again.
(1)
Chris H.
Had a wonderful meal, but then developed stomach cramps upon returning to my hotel rm, implying food poisoning. Thought it came from something else, so ate the leftovers I brought back later (was hungry after vomiting 1/2 my Lunch up). Stomach cramps came right back & vomited violently through the night, almost calling 911 at 300am. Next day, I gave a courtesy call & asked for the manager or supervisor instead of calling the Health Dept. Some guy answers and gives a rude, "what do you want" as the intro (not "what can I do for you"). A few hrs later I enter the place to make sure my message got relayed to the person in charge, to which the owner promptly launches into accusations that I was the only one that complained, so it must be my fault. Then proceeds to tell me go ahead and call the Health Dept. since she's friends with them. Like the other review says- go in there only if you hate yourself.
(1)
Leslie H.
We were here twice before the redo of the restaurant infact the second time we came we left after appetizers. We gave it another shot today. We ordered the street tacos (chicken, shrimp, pork) and brownie dessert. The chicken tacos were really good...perfectly spiced..love the jalapeño cream. My husband said shrimp was a little sweet but all in all better food than before. I will say the brownie would be so awesome if it were warmed before.
(4)
Janice M.
So sad. This used to be one of our highlights in Estes Park. Went today and it was terrible. We w8 t be back.
(1)
Ryan B.
Being from South Texas, I've had my fair share of good Mexican (Tex/Mex) food. When I moved to Colorado, I didn't expect to be able to find decent Mexican food. Fortunately, I've found a few places that are quite good. The Grumpy Gringo is one of these places. Food: The food itself I would rate as 3-stars. It's definitely not the best I've had but has decent flavor. I had the nachos supreme and a friend had the chimichanga. The nachos had good flavor but I prefer a more refined nacho plate (as opposed to a bunch of chips with various items filed on top). I also felt there could have been a bit more cheese on the nachos. While I didn't taste the chimichanga, my friend indicated that it was "okay" but would have expected more flavor associated with the filling (as well as having it be a bit more crispy). Service: We visited on a day when access to Rocky Mountain National Park was free. With that said, the area had a higher than normal number of visitors. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were advised of a 25 minute wait. The wait-time was more/less accurate. Once we were seated, the servers were attentive. Carole (one of the owners) was wonderfully cheerful, checking on guests, as well as working to seat guests as quickly as possible, despite the restaurant being busy. I'd happily rate the service as five stars. Overall: Four stars. The food is fairly good (despite minor improvements that could be made) and the service is good (they very much work as a team). When in the area, I'll happily go back to this restaurant.
(4)
John L.
10 min from my house. Excellent overall. The service from Leslie was efficient and friendly. Street tacos very good, especially the pork. Enchiladas Ole (pork, beef, cheese) very good. I was happy not to have the free chips & salsa at the start; better for me and I was not already full when the meal was served. Points for black beans instead of refried beans. My experience was much better than some of the other recent postings.
(4)
Jennifer C.
Great service, very attentive to our needs. Food was delicious and served with a smile. Although we arrived close to closing time, and have a picky eater, there were three wait staff that was pleasant and always willing to help each other make sure we had a pleasant experience. Next time I'm in Estes park, I'll know where to get some killer chicken fajitas and cheese dip.
(5)
Dean G.
Food and service were very good. Margaritas had a Morrish taste. The more I drank, the more I wanted!
(5)
Dan F.
I has the enchiladas, my wife had the fish tacos, and my grandson had the Chimichanga. I ordered the enchiladas glutton free and they came with the sauce on the side which made the tortilla hard. The fish tacos did not have any coleslaw. I asked for rice only and my wife asked for beans only but the server did not bring the order that way.
(2)
Elisabeth M.
If I could give negative stars I would. Worst food. Worst service. Horrible manager that cursed at us for complaining. There's a reason it's called the Grumpy Gringo. The most horrible dining experience ever
(1)
Hank H.
We just had dinner here 2 nights in a row. They closed down late last year and reopened after restructuring and retraining and it shows. The menu is broader than Mexican. The service was very friendly. The beef tacos were great and the flat iron steak was a lot of food and well done. We will eat here every time we come back to Estes.
(5)
T. M.
We went here against my better judgement because the family wanted Mexican food. The outside of the building looked run down and unkept. We went about 2 pm in the afternoon and there were a scattering of customers there. We walked up to area where you would expect a host or hostess and no one was there. You could see into the bar area where there was a woman showing the bar customers pictures on her cell phone. She looked right at us and continued to show her pics and talk to them. We sat down. She then walked behind the bar and, at that point, I realized that she actually worked there. We continued to sit. I told my wife that we were leaving in a couple of minutes if we didn't get seated. Then, the woman turned from her perch at the bar and came over and greeted us, finally. Wow, I've never felt so unwelcome. So, while the menu was kind of all over the place, a few Mexican dishes mixed with American dishes. I fully expected the food to be bad but was pleasantly surprised. It was all fresh and everyone in our party thought it was good.
(3)
Casey H.
My better half is from San Diego and somewhat spoiled by having had great Mexican fare... He refuses to ever return here as he says it's some of the absolute worst Mexican he's ever had and we don't have many choices since we live up here!
(2)
David C.
I would give two stars for only a couple things on the menu that were just OK. One Star for the service. The wife and I stop there three times on the way down from the mountains. And all three times the service was horrible. They take forever to clean the table to seat you if you are on a waiting list.
(1)
Celeste T.
Found a fly in my salad. Waitress took it off the tab but offered me something else. No thanks. I think I'll pass on the revolting fare and lackluster service.
(1)
Ann Marie C.
This restaurant was awful. The chips and salsa were way over-salted and I happen to love salt. The chicken quesadillas were made with canned chicken and a small amount of cheddar cheese. It actually looked like the chef had chewed the chicken before putting it on the tortilla. My teenage son who eats anything took one bite and was done. My Macho soup was gross. The cook didn't even bother the peel the dirty skin off of the large carrot chunks in the soup. My daughter ordered the chicken-fried steak. The mashed potatoes were worse than instant. Horrible!! Yuck is all I can say about this restaurant.
(1)
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Address :1560 Big Thompson Ave
Estes Park, CO, 80517
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
R W.
We stopped in here last night for dinner while we were up at Estes Park. This place is usually pretty consistent when we eat here but on this night it did not live up to expectations and we left disappointed. First we were told they do not do a Happy Hour this time of year, only in the winter time which was a big turn off and part of the reason we came back here. Second I ordered what I had last time the #3 combo yet this time it looked like it had been down sized it was so small. There was barely any green chile on the burrito and for $12.99 this is absurd. The enchilada really lacked flavor and seemed like since they were very busy things were thrown together like an assembly line. I am dropping my rating for this place and feel they need to re-evaluate how they operate. Too many reviews on here all have the same vibe. If you pay this extra price they charge they should provide a better meal.
(2)Jodi W.
This place was very expensive for what was served. My husband had the enchiladas that were suppose to be mild and they were so hot he couldn't eat them. I had fajitas and the tortillas were moldy, we told the owner and he denied it was mold and only offered new tortillas. The reason the Gringo was Gumpy is because the food was awful!
(1)Mandy R.
Food was bad and service was mediocre. $45 for two drinks and two entrees that we didn't even finish. Three of us have ended up sick from GG and a fourth who we talked to that wasn't in our party. Do not recommend.
(1)Lillian T.
They changed their menu. Apparently, they're rebranding themselves as Grumpy Gringo Estes Roadhouse. We loved their previous Mexican menu, so we figured we'd give it another try. We ordered a ton of food - tacos, enchiladas, burritos - but right off the bat, we were informed that sopapillas were no longer part of the menu! My little brother was sad, so we ordered a boatload of churros to compensate. The enchiladas were fantastic! My little brother, normally a very picky eater, ate an entire one and raved about it. The beef tacos were also very good, but perhaps a little strong on the seasoning. But the BURRITOS, lord, whoever changed the burrito recipe should be immediately hung out to dry. The vegetarian (bean and cheese) burrito was full of weird poblano peppers and slimy onion slices. The texture just didn't work. Good thing we ordered enough food to make up for inadequate burritos!
(3)Jason S.
Do you hate yourself? Eat here! We had a "chicken quesadilla". It was canned chicken. And I mean obviously canned chicken. Overpriced, shitty decor. Tourist trap.
(1)Correy H.
A group of us visited the Grumpy Gringo during a recent retreat and it quickly became our go to place for appetizers and drinks. The margaritas were very tasty (and strong) as well as their other well drinks. I recommend their chips and guacamole or queso. The service was decent the few times we went -- but could be a bit more attentive. Overall - the next time Im in Estes Park, i'll swing by.
(4)Shea W.
Ok. I didn't try the food, because I was warned not to by several locals. That speaks volumes, let's be honest. I always trust a local. I did go to have some margaritas though, because we thought we had a coupon for free ones. I had the peach frozen margarita. 7 dollars and maybe not even half a shot of tequila. Not cool. The restaurant itself feels just, gross. Like casabonita a little... The waitress was absolutely fabulous though and I tipped her HUGE. I would say if you are staying in one of the hotels around this restaurant it may be worth it to MAYBE get a marg here... MAYBE. If its in walking distance. Also, if you get the Groupon for Murphy's Resort (where they say they are giving you a free coupon for a marg at Grumpy Gringo) just be aware that the coupon is actually for a different restaurant called Mex-Kal or something? It was extra disappointing I had to pay for my peach smoothie that I thought was gonna have tequila...
(2)Kyle J.
My family has vacationed in Estes Park each year over the past 10 years and the Grumpy Gringo has been a yearly tradition. We made it a point to eat at the Gringo the first night of vacation for authentic Mexican food. This year, was very disappointing. They tore down walls to open up the restaurant to a cafeteria style seating and overhauled their menu to include chicken fried steak? Really? I ordered my normal enchiladas, they came out cold and tasted like true "Gringos" cooked the plate. For my family, it's sad that this restaurant has gone down hill so fast. We won't return!
(1)Kaylee W.
This is the most disgusting restaurant in Estes. Do not make a mistake and go here. They have a terrible atmosphere and gross food.
(1)D P.
we stopped here after a full day at the Scottish fest on Sat Sept 8th 2012. There were 5 in my party we only ordered 5 main dish's and 5 sodas, no appetizers or alcohol. With tip the bill was $90 bucks, for example Two cheese enchiladas, rice and beans. 10.99. thats 5 bucks per cheese enchilada... pretty high for a Mexican joint offering below average Mexican food and the cheese enchilada tasted like canned nacho cheese sauce bought on the discount isle at the grocery store. The salsa was the only thing that had a little bit of heat to it. i agree with what others have said the food was not only bland but almost tasteless. no flavor at all. The Margaritas comes from a premix drawn from a tap... seriously how fricken hard is it to make a margarita?? my advice to the owners and management. Add some flavor to your food, stop using canned liquid nacho cheese and learn how to make a margarita! for the review posted by Mikellie w. i dont know what part of Colorado you guys travel through but Colorado is full of Mexican joints .
(2)Curtis S.
The food was quite good, but well overpriced. My wife was charged $1.50 for a small dollop of sour cream. Also, if we hasn't had looked carefully at the menu we wouldn't have seen that the chips and salsa on the table would have been charged to our bill if we got a refill. Neither the hostess nor the waitress informed us of that so if people aren't careful they could easily rack up quite the bill just for chips and salsa refills.
(3)Amber B.
Do yourself a favor, keep driving. Microwave anyone?
(2)Mary Jo S.
The Grumpy Gringo is not properly named. It should be the Happy Gringo as this tourist prepared Mexican food would make any gringo's bland taste buds happy. The staff is friendly and very accommodating and very honest. For example, when I asked how hot is Grumpy's green chili (listed as HOT!) when compared to the salsa which was tasty but mild, they said I would probably need a few more chilies added to my huevos. They were right. I also appreciate that they served breakfast all day as I love huevos rancheros and they have lighter fare dishes which were just the right sized late lunch for the husband. Good solid tourist food in Estes Park.
(3)Kelley S.
We stopped for lunch and shared some fajitas; they were really good. The rice and beans were especially delicious. And, I liked the salsa and chips. The server was friendly, and the restaurant was clean and bright. We're from Texas, and we thought it was pretty darn good (as you can imagine, we're Tex-Mex connoisseurs), especially for Estes Park. We definitely give it two thumbs up!
(4)Rachelle B.
Don't get what all the bad reviews are about. Had dinner here tonight; chips and salsa were fresh and homemade---and complimentary! the salsa was tasty and spicy and the guac was a little bland but freshly made from avocados---thankfully not store bought stuff ... the restaurant DOES have "gringo" in the name, so, kind of expect it to be not so spicy. The waiter offered to add chopped jalapeño to the guac and salsa if we wanted it spicier. We were seated immediately despite a rather full restaurant. The waiter made a couple of mistakes, but apologized and mentioned it was his first shift on his own. He was friendly and attentive. Our group had the taco salad, enchiladas, and nachos...nothing to write gourmet magazine about, but it was solid food at a solid price. The complaints in the previous reviews, at least from my experience this evening, are unfounded. However, I would advise you to skip the mojito---it's made with a mix, you'll do yourself a favor to go for the margarita instead.
(3)Nick S.
came here one day after climbing. go to eds cantina. better food and service.
(2)Christine M.
A T.V. Dinner would have been better. And over-priced for the poor quality of food. However .... the service was FAST. We could not believe how fast the food came out. I guess to get you out as quick as possible cuz they knew how bad it was. I am wondering if I had a drink, maybe the food could have had the possibility of tasting better. However, the salsa was not half bad. I have had better .... but it was the highlite of the whole meal. I tried to give zero-stars ... but it is required to leave atleast one.
(1)Jacque O.
Typical Mexican food. Greasy and over priced for what it was. Not much of a fan.
(1)Tracie D.
Stopped in last weekend to give it a try. Our server was very polite. However, salsa tasted like it came from a jar, queso was probably from a jar as well. Tortilas were from a package. Expensive as well. $20 for chips, salsa and cheese dip and 2 ice teas. Tried it once and won't go back.
(2)Mikelle W.
Pretty good. It's typical Mexican food. We stopped here because there isn't very many Mexican food places in Colorado; we're from Texas and were craving some good food! It was quiet, the staff was friendly, and the drinks were good. Happy hour is from 4-6, and the first round of chips & salsa are free but anything after that and you have to pay $3.25. Worth stopping by!
(4)Ed S.
We went to the Grumpy Gringo on 10/1 when we came up to attend the Estes Park Elk Fest. The place was moderately busy, but not slammed like one would expect of a restaurant at on a regular Saturday night, much less during a festival weekend. The service was horrible! After we were seated, it took at least 15 mins. before our server, Antonio, acknowledged we were there. He left to get our chips & salsa, but didn't bother taking our drink orders. By the time he finally came back to take our drink orders, we had already looked over our menus & asked if we could go ahead & order. He seemed flustered & unable to keep our orders straight. He also didn't know the menu very well, because he couldn't answer simple questions like,"Is there cilantro in this dish?" without checking with the kitchen first. About 10 mins. after we ordered, another party of 10 was seated at the table next to us. Antonio was their server too. About 20 mins. after the other party arrived, Antonio served meals to our table. Unfortunately, all but 2 of the meals were for the other table. He apologized for the confusion, delivered the food to the other party, & went to check on our orders. The other table joked that we should've just eaten their meals. Another 30 mins. passed & Antonio didn't even come by to see if we needed more chips & drinks while we waited for our meals. Carole, the owner/hostess, came back & noticed that we still hadn't been served yet & apologized. She took our drink orders & went into the kitchen to find our meals. Shortly afterwards, Antonio delivered another round of meals to our table. This time they were actually ours, although he still had difficulty figuring out who had which meal. He also forgot 2 of our meals & it took another 10 mins. before those meals came out. The food was fair, but not fantastic. Some of the dinners were already cold by the time they reached our table. I presume they'd been sitting in the kitchen waiting for our server to deliver. By that time, we just wanted to get on with our night so no one bothered sending their meals back. Carole came by apologized again & offered to comp our table some sopapillas for our inconvenience. We thanked her & asked her to have Antonio go ahead & get them going because we were about halfway through our meals & were anxious to get going after our dinner. After we finished our meals, we told Antonio that it was getting late & asked if we could just get the sopapillas to go. To our dismay, he hadn't even placed the dessert order with the kitchen yet. We were ready to leave without them, but he insisted it wouldn't take long. When we finally got our bill, we noticed that there was an 18% gratuity already added to our bill because of the size of our party. A member of our party complained to Carole about this, Carole's demeanor went from the kind, polite hostess we met earlier to a rude, belittling, raving lunatic in seconds flat. Not since watching Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde have I seen anyone change so quickly! She should really be on medication. She accused us of wanting to stiff the waiter. STIFF?!! What happened to tips being earned for good service? For me, 20% gratuity is standard & customary for average service & it's not unusual for me to pay 25-30% or more for great service. It wasn't until our friend said he would pay the bill in its entirety & dispute the gratuity charge with his credit card company did she finally agreed to remove the gratuity from our bill. As we filled out the corrected credit card slips in the main lobby, Carole proceeded to tell us, "Don't come back!" Although I tried to diffuse the situation by telling Carole that I was raised in a restaurant (My father was a restaurateur) & that we weren't necessarily unhappy with her or her restaurant, just this particular server, I never got the chance. As soon as I said, I was raised in a restaurant, Carole quickly interrupted me by saying, "I don't care if you were raised in H*LL!" Pardon me?! She then verbally attacked my friend & me by calling us, "A**HOLES," multiple times as we were leaving. Fortunately, our wives & children had already gone out to the cars & were spared from this verbal assault. I am still stunned that THE OWNER defended her server so vehemently when his service was so obviously subpar & even more aghast that she chose to go on her tirade right in the middle of the lobby, right next to the dining room & bar where other patrons were still seated. It's apparent that the old adage, The customer is always right, doesn't exist in her world. Business must be so good that she doesn't need any more customers. Our experience at the Grumpy Gringo completely ruined what was otherwise a great day in Estes Park! So, if you like slow service, fair food, & verbal abuse, please dine at the Grumpy Gringo; however, if you are looking for a relaxing, enjoyable dining experience after a great day in Estes Park, I HIGHLY recommend you go elsewhere!!!
(1)Michelle S.
We thought this place would be fun because of the name. Turns out, I was just a grumpy gringo when I left. The only thing I liked on my plate was a crispy chili relleno. The ($7.50) drink was gross-like syrup and hardly any alcohol in it, and our waiter seemed to be afraid of us. We had to wait 10 minutes just for someone to come to our table and ask what we wanted to drink (it was not busy at the time). It's decorated rather blandly, all white with a bunch of fake flowers everywhere. The food is overpriced and greasy. We would never go back.
(1)Melissa K.
Do not waste your time. There were only a couple of cars in the parking lot, but we thought it was because there was a festival going on downtown. Turns out, everyone else must know not to go there. Bad service even to get seated. The chips were stale -- even my two boys (6 and 9) who LOVE chips said they were nasty. When I ordered a child's quesadilla for my youngest, I asked if he could have rice and beans as opposed to fries and the waiter said it didn't come with sides! It was $6.50!!!! He said, "Well, it's a 6 inch tortilla.". Are you kidding me??? That's small. We paid for our drinks and left. I can't rate the food, but something tells me it would've been as bad as the service, prices, and old chips. We went to The Other Side and had a great burger. After this experience, I talked to other folks who said it was bad, too.
(1)Alice G.
While the food at Grumpy Gringo is uninspired, the menu is tired, and the place is dead......the food and experience is not bad, but won't bring you back time after time. In a pinch, it is just fine. We tried the small combo- It included a skinny enchilada, a chili relleno (not bad!), a standard beef taco (they could have heated the shell!), black beans and spanish rice. It was fine. I ate most of it. The boyfriend tried the street tacos, and beside a couple tablespoons of mayonaissey sauce on one of the tacos, he said they were ok. This experience was fine, but in Estes for Mexican, there are other options. However, service was nice, the place was clean, and there was nothin' to be hatin' on as hard as the reviews suggest--in Alice's opinion...Safe!
(3)Kathy K.
This post is a month or two late. My boyfriend and I had the opportunity to enjoy this nice little restaurant while in Estes Park. It was very convenient since it was along the strip of the majority of the hotels. The service was great, from the hostess to our server. The owner also came to talk to us, which was really nice. We ordered wwaayy too much food. The smothered fries or papitos fries was delicious, especially with the chorizo topping. Yum Yums! They also make their own special chipotle sauce that was amazing! They also gave large portions for the entrees. We will definitely return to Grumpy Gringo's when we're back in Estes!
(4)Ken K.
This place was gross. Both my wife and myself got sick. Never again.
(1)Chris H.
Had a wonderful meal, but then developed stomach cramps upon returning to my hotel rm, implying food poisoning. Thought it came from something else, so ate the leftovers I brought back later (was hungry after vomiting 1/2 my Lunch up). Stomach cramps came right back & vomited violently through the night, almost calling 911 at 300am. Next day, I gave a courtesy call & asked for the manager or supervisor instead of calling the Health Dept. Some guy answers and gives a rude, "what do you want" as the intro (not "what can I do for you"). A few hrs later I enter the place to make sure my message got relayed to the person in charge, to which the owner promptly launches into accusations that I was the only one that complained, so it must be my fault. Then proceeds to tell me go ahead and call the Health Dept. since she's friends with them. Like the other review says- go in there only if you hate yourself.
(1)Leslie H.
We were here twice before the redo of the restaurant infact the second time we came we left after appetizers. We gave it another shot today. We ordered the street tacos (chicken, shrimp, pork) and brownie dessert. The chicken tacos were really good...perfectly spiced..love the jalapeño cream. My husband said shrimp was a little sweet but all in all better food than before. I will say the brownie would be so awesome if it were warmed before.
(4)Janice M.
So sad. This used to be one of our highlights in Estes Park. Went today and it was terrible. We w8 t be back.
(1)Ryan B.
Being from South Texas, I've had my fair share of good Mexican (Tex/Mex) food. When I moved to Colorado, I didn't expect to be able to find decent Mexican food. Fortunately, I've found a few places that are quite good. The Grumpy Gringo is one of these places. Food: The food itself I would rate as 3-stars. It's definitely not the best I've had but has decent flavor. I had the nachos supreme and a friend had the chimichanga. The nachos had good flavor but I prefer a more refined nacho plate (as opposed to a bunch of chips with various items filed on top). I also felt there could have been a bit more cheese on the nachos. While I didn't taste the chimichanga, my friend indicated that it was "okay" but would have expected more flavor associated with the filling (as well as having it be a bit more crispy). Service: We visited on a day when access to Rocky Mountain National Park was free. With that said, the area had a higher than normal number of visitors. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were advised of a 25 minute wait. The wait-time was more/less accurate. Once we were seated, the servers were attentive. Carole (one of the owners) was wonderfully cheerful, checking on guests, as well as working to seat guests as quickly as possible, despite the restaurant being busy. I'd happily rate the service as five stars. Overall: Four stars. The food is fairly good (despite minor improvements that could be made) and the service is good (they very much work as a team). When in the area, I'll happily go back to this restaurant.
(4)John L.
10 min from my house. Excellent overall. The service from Leslie was efficient and friendly. Street tacos very good, especially the pork. Enchiladas Ole (pork, beef, cheese) very good. I was happy not to have the free chips & salsa at the start; better for me and I was not already full when the meal was served. Points for black beans instead of refried beans. My experience was much better than some of the other recent postings.
(4)Jennifer C.
Great service, very attentive to our needs. Food was delicious and served with a smile. Although we arrived close to closing time, and have a picky eater, there were three wait staff that was pleasant and always willing to help each other make sure we had a pleasant experience. Next time I'm in Estes park, I'll know where to get some killer chicken fajitas and cheese dip.
(5)Dean G.
Food and service were very good. Margaritas had a Morrish taste. The more I drank, the more I wanted!
(5)Dan F.
I has the enchiladas, my wife had the fish tacos, and my grandson had the Chimichanga. I ordered the enchiladas glutton free and they came with the sauce on the side which made the tortilla hard. The fish tacos did not have any coleslaw. I asked for rice only and my wife asked for beans only but the server did not bring the order that way.
(2)Elisabeth M.
If I could give negative stars I would. Worst food. Worst service. Horrible manager that cursed at us for complaining. There's a reason it's called the Grumpy Gringo. The most horrible dining experience ever
(1)Hank H.
We just had dinner here 2 nights in a row. They closed down late last year and reopened after restructuring and retraining and it shows. The menu is broader than Mexican. The service was very friendly. The beef tacos were great and the flat iron steak was a lot of food and well done. We will eat here every time we come back to Estes.
(5)T. M.
We went here against my better judgement because the family wanted Mexican food. The outside of the building looked run down and unkept. We went about 2 pm in the afternoon and there were a scattering of customers there. We walked up to area where you would expect a host or hostess and no one was there. You could see into the bar area where there was a woman showing the bar customers pictures on her cell phone. She looked right at us and continued to show her pics and talk to them. We sat down. She then walked behind the bar and, at that point, I realized that she actually worked there. We continued to sit. I told my wife that we were leaving in a couple of minutes if we didn't get seated. Then, the woman turned from her perch at the bar and came over and greeted us, finally. Wow, I've never felt so unwelcome. So, while the menu was kind of all over the place, a few Mexican dishes mixed with American dishes. I fully expected the food to be bad but was pleasantly surprised. It was all fresh and everyone in our party thought it was good.
(3)Casey H.
My better half is from San Diego and somewhat spoiled by having had great Mexican fare... He refuses to ever return here as he says it's some of the absolute worst Mexican he's ever had and we don't have many choices since we live up here!
(2)David C.
I would give two stars for only a couple things on the menu that were just OK. One Star for the service. The wife and I stop there three times on the way down from the mountains. And all three times the service was horrible. They take forever to clean the table to seat you if you are on a waiting list.
(1)Celeste T.
Found a fly in my salad. Waitress took it off the tab but offered me something else. No thanks. I think I'll pass on the revolting fare and lackluster service.
(1)Ann Marie C.
This restaurant was awful. The chips and salsa were way over-salted and I happen to love salt. The chicken quesadillas were made with canned chicken and a small amount of cheddar cheese. It actually looked like the chef had chewed the chicken before putting it on the tortilla. My teenage son who eats anything took one bite and was done. My Macho soup was gross. The cook didn't even bother the peel the dirty skin off of the large carrot chunks in the soup. My daughter ordered the chicken-fried steak. The mashed potatoes were worse than instant. Horrible!! Yuck is all I can say about this restaurant.
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