Efrain's of Boulder Mexican Restaurant

Incredible chili verde. Like best I’ve ever had. Spicy, tangy, and the pork is lean and flavorful. Wouldn’t change a thing. 🌶️

Food did not taste bad, but was definitely not Mexican food; could maybe be considered Tex-Mex. The vegetarian taco was literally a salad on top of a flour tortilla and refried beans. And, the salsa tasted more tomatoey than like a salsa mexicana. Our drinks (Puebla Mezcal Margarita & Mango Margarita) did not taste great, but were quite strong, which was a plus. Great service! Staff were friendly and food was delivered very fast!

Dude, this place is amazing. We love the chicken chimichangas with the best chili Verde in Boulder. The ultimate margarita is is my favorite drink on the menu. The people are super nice, there's always chips and salsa on the table when you arrive, the food comes out sometimes in less than five minutes… What more could you ask for!? Efrains is the best. We love you guys!!!

This place has set a bar for nachos that I fear will never be met by another restaurant. I am ruined. I am undone. I have eaten more Mexican food than I can remember, and I feel like today I have eaten it for the first time. Incredible. Everything about the food tasted homemade. Even the chips and salsa. Even the dang iced tea.

We LOVE Efrain’s! They always hit the spot with their delicious fajitas, tostadas, and enchiladas! My husband and I eat here once a week, and it never disappoints. It can be pretty busy on a Friday or Saturday night, but we’ve never waited all that long on busier evenings. The service is always top-notch and everyone is very friendly and kind. I also love that they keep the chips and salsa coming! I absolutely love their Boulder Margarita, and they have about 15+ different selections of margaritas to choose from so everyone is happy! My favorite meal is the chicken fajitas. You will not be disappointed-they give you a massive portion with lots of delicious guacamole, beans, rice, and sour cream to enjoy your fajitas with, which I really enjoy. Best fajitas in Boulder hands down. My husband loves their blue corn enchiladas. I would also like to mention that they are gluten free conscious, and have many items that are 100% gluten free to choose from! This is a Boulder gem of a restaurant!

Visited this restaurant on our way back from Rocky Mountain National Park. I thought this going to be mediocre food. Easy access from road, staffs are so nice, very neat place. We ordered Efrain ( super delicious, must try, very big plate), beef burrito ( spicy and delicious, they can adjust the spice), beef chimichanga ( best one we had), vegetarian taco( so tasty, spicy lovers ask for more, their sauce is very tasty). This is one of the best Mexican food we had, its not Tex-Mex, if you are passing through Denver or Boulder definitely try this place. Not at all expensive, quantity is really good. We will definitely try for our next visit.

Flavorful southwestern cuisine (of course, from the Mexican perspective, it's northwestern). Delicious chilis, shredded chicken. The food can be as hot as you wanted to be, depending on your taste. Enjoy the flavors of the dishes, which are strong but not overwhelming. I enjoyed the delicious blue corn tortillas at the base of my dish. Even the chips they provide for the tables as a starter are quite thick and substantial, paired with liquidity salsa that has a bit of heat to it. The walls gleam with the distinctive turquoise and gold colors of the Southwest, and pottery and baskets from the region line the shelves. There is the overall sense that this restaurant seems uniquely committed to the customer experience, from the food to the overall ambience. If you like southwestern food even a little, come here and you will not be disappointed.

Phenomenal Mexican restaurant with a great menu and amazing tasting food. The restaurant is owned and run by a local family that love what they do. The fajitas were delicious and I liked how they gave raw onion as one of the fillings. The meat that came with the dish was a generous serving and delicious. Would recommend this place to anyone. Be warned though, this place gets really busy, so come really early and prepare to wait. But grab a margarita while you wait.

Fast and great service and unquestionable food quality. I'm well impressed. Ask for the green chile. It's out of this world! Will always recommend this place now.

This is the second trip to Efrain's. Everything was delicious. Great quick service neat little place

I haven't been to Efrain's in about 10 years, and despite all these years and covid, this restaurant did not disappoint. I kinda missed the old location, but I must say the new location is nice. Very spacious and definitely a nicer atmosphere, not to mention the staff is very friendly. I ended up eating here with my family twice in the span of 2 days since we've all been deprived of good Mexican food for the last 3 years--nothing in Hawaii even came close. Seriously trying not to return within the next few days, but I can't make any promises lol. We all loved their guacamole tostada, green chile burrito, and chile relleno. I always loved their sizzling bean tostada but the guacamole one is a game changer. I'm pretty sure I used to order the sizzling bean tostada with guac on the top, but it's nice to have a change. I should probably give some other food items a try. I'll definitely be coming back whenever I'm craving this type of food.

(6/22/24): First timers, was across from our hotel. Ordered and shared the steak fajitas and spicy margarita. As a lifelong Mexican food lover, I wouldn't say this was an amazing or great place or quality of food. Seating is tightly together so don't expect much privacy upon eating. Upon ordering our food, it was ready within @7-8 minutes which tells me it's premade and quickly indicates a high table turnover establishment. Ambiance was decent and personally seemed like a get them in and out quick for more turnover. Our waiter was friendly, however bar staff was seemingly put off when I asked for a Mezcal they didn't have. Chips and salsa was ok (critique was chips were cold and salsa was good and flavorful Margarita was ok but nothing special. If you need your fix for Mexican food, then it will suffice. Doubtful I'd be back upon visiting boulder area again.

I got a gift card for Efrain. I was up in Boulder for another event and decided to stop in and used the card. When you sit down you are provided with a few small bowls of chips and salsa. The salsa was very liquidy, no chucks, not hardy. And it was hot. They should provide other more mild options as well. I got the chicken chimichanga with mild sauce and rice and beans. It was delicious but occasionally the sauce would have a very spicy kick to it. The other people I was with got the beef enchilada with a side of rice and beans and the rellenos. The person who ordered the beef enchilada mild, stated the beef was wonderful, soft, perfectly done. The person who ordered that rellenos said was a flavorful, healthy portion. The service was great. Our waitress was ever kind and patient as we asking questions about the menu. It is a large location with indoor and outdoor dining options, a full bar, and healthy portions. If you can't handle spicy I would recommend because even some of the mild sauces had a kick!

This was the first time visiting this location ever after moving out of Colorado many years ago. I used to go to one up in Longmont area that was a lot bigger, but I also did go to another location. I guess where there was one in Boulder. This one is a lot nicer than the other one was. Used to always get the beef enchilada dinner and that is what I got this time. Very flavorful. I also got one taco which was packed beyond belief. Good stuff I'm glad I came back.

Popular. Inexpensive. Good service. Good food. GOOD HAPPY HOUR. Parking lot is a little scary.

The rear patio was very nice to sit in on that sunny, yet brisk spring afternoon. The servers were kind and brought our drinks quickly. We ordered the huge plate of nachos with chicken and my daughter and I were satisfied with it. It didn't have near enough jalapeños or cheese but it was good enough. It's not Mexican enough for me to want to come back, but then again I only had their tomato sauce salsa, bagged chips and the nachos. But it's a good enough representation of their food.

The atmosphere is nice and the food is spectacular. I had the Chile Verde bowl which was loaded with chunks of pork and was a meal in itself. The spice level was perfect but it may be too spicy for those that don't care for much heat. My wife and son had the combination with chicken enchiladas, beef tacos, and bean tostadas. The chicken and shredded beef were both good and plentiful. Unlike some places, Efrain's gives you full size portions on their combos. The only complaint was the taco and tostada got soggy from all the enchilada sauce. After already being too full from lunch, we still ordered churros for dessert and they were still delicious. Overall, the food reminded me of what I would get in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Service was excellent as well but the food was so good I almost forgot to mention it.

This place seems to be incredibly popular. It was crowded and loud when we entered, but I enjoyed the vibe. We were seated relatively quickly and they brought out our food incredibly fast. They brought out chips and dip before we ordered, which I really appreciated. The salsa was a little spicy, which I enjoyed. I got the chicken enchilada and really loved it. The prices are also great for the amount of food you get. I definitely will be coming back here. It's one of the best Mexican restaurants in Boulder.

I will admit right up front that I have visited Efrain's Mexican restaurants more than any other eatery of any kind, EVER, and there's a reason... the food. Delicious homestyle baked dishes are served up on Fiestaware-style ceramic plates hotter than Ecuadorian goats in a habanero pepper patch. While individually owned & operated, there are actually 2 Efrain's locations in Boulder & Lafayette, CO. I have been to both locations multiple times over the years and the menus & recipes are very similar, with only minor differences. My favorite dish, by far, is the Chicken Chimichanga. A single perfectly-sized deep fried tortilla pillow is filled with savory all white meat chicken simmered in herbs & spices then smothered with tender pork chile verde & cheese. The fantastic chile verde is homemade using fresh chiles so, depending on the season, it can be moderately spicy, pretty darn hot, or burn your face off in the best way possible--more then often it's somewhere in the middle. If you really love chile verde, order the "taste of chile verde" which comes in a tiny side bowl and the perfect amount in case the cook is a little stingy that day. The dish comes with a choice of small salad or rice & beans. I say, "Go for the rice & refried beans." The beans' texture & consistency are almost always spot on and the melted cheese on top makes them even better with its crispy edges. The whole gastro-symphonic dish comes to a crescendo of flavor when its finished to perfection with a generous scoop of cold whole milk sour cream paired with another generous scoop of very good homemade guacamole. One thing I can promise is that you will NOT go home hungry and like me, if you find the right dishes, Efrain's may become one of your favorite Mexican restaurants of all time.

Full service Mexican restaurant in The Village. Large portions and reasonable prices. I got the steak San Lorenzo. It's a lot of food for $17. The steak was buried under a large heap of toppings. It also came with 4 tortillas. I was able to basically make 4 soft shell tacos, and that still didn't dig out the steak. Most restaurants would charge $17 or more for 4 tacos. The steak wasn't cooked to the requested temperature, but it was still tender enough, and in a sense it was free at that point. Free chips and salsa. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Felt a bit warm inside, like the AC wasn't turned up enough.

Excellent service . Clean and comfortable. My food was fresh and very tasty . Visiting from California so it seems everything is a bargain ! Super fun to order the burrito that is the chefs choice !

We went here for lunch after having walked past it with delicious smelling food! Super cute space that is warm and welcoming, full of great art work from Diego Rivera. Staff were kind and the service was very quick. I had the guacamole tostada which was really nice. They have a signature vinegar and oil blend they put on the lettuce for tacos and tostadas- it was really delicious. The rice and beans, while simple, were delicious, they can be prepared poorly, but Efrain's hit the spot! My family also enjoyed their dishes and the margaritas were excellent! This is a must try while in Boulder! Not pretentious, a lovely menu and very fair prices!

Love the new space! It's bright, beautiful, and open. My husband and I came here for dinner and hadn't been here since they moved. We will make it a regular stop now! We both really like the Mondongo so I got the burrito and my husband ordered the plate so it had rice, beans and tortillas. A wee bit salty for me but I love the flavors of the beef and mushrooms! It's so savory. The chips were a hit overdone but that didn't stop us from eating them. The salsa actually had a bit of spice and great flavor. Yum! I got a house Margarita and it was such a treat alongside the food. The staff who greeted us was amazing and our table was ready sooner than they said. We will be back!!

Sorry to write this review - really sorry. We used to drive out to 63rd regularly to enjoy an Efrain's dinner and sometimes a lunch. When they landed the old Alba location, like everyone in Boulder we enjoyed the enthusiasm for dining in a location unlike a mechanics shop with good parking in the McGuckins parking lot. Two nights ago we went in for an early dinner. I ordered Full menu (not happy hour) Beef Chimichanga which came out as a nasty tasting grease envelope. Sized like a 3x5 index card with more tortilla than meat. We ordered 'Happy Hour' specials of pico de gallo and guacamole. Each of us had a margarita. Wife had a happy hour special, I had a regular priced "Ultimate" Margarita. I have been enjoying their Ultimate Reposado Margarita for many years and can say they used to be quite good, but this one tasted like Diesel fuel added to lime juice. Really bad. The Pico tasted like it came from a can with onions chopped with a lawn mower. Side salad looked like it came from a dumpster and included some curly stainless steel from the dishwasher's scrubby - really gross had to pick it from my teeth. Chimichanga - really disappointing - really bad. they must not change their grease out on Wednesdays! Totally disappointed. we both were burping the bad food for hours after and felt terrible the next day. We both commented how bad it was and that we wouldn't be going back anytime soon. SAD. The meal was on September 4, 2024 at 4-4:30 PM. Avoid Efrains. We won't be going back anytime soon. Senor Miguel is rolling in his grave. Do better. It's expensive and not good food. Gross. `1`

Ordered 2 meals beef enchilada dinner and a cheese enchilada dinner. No flavor in either. The cheese enchilada was mushy- couldn't even tell if there was a corn tortilla. The rice was not cooked enough, it was hard, and the beans were so thin, almost like water. To make it worst, the top was burnt and cheese on top was crispy. The beef enchilada was the same. The salsa had no flavor, was like eating puréed tomatoes. The table next to us also left most of their food on their plate. Tables were so close together you could hear everyone's conversations around you. We had high hopes because we heard good things but were quickly let down.

Good, attentive service. Tasty chips and salsa. Guac was well-received by the folk who ate it. Margs were generally quite good, though the Skinny was -- not tart, but decidedly un-sweet. The Horni was our favorite. The famous, headliner chili verde was rated a 10/10 heat -- and, yes, it was practically inedible from the spiciness. What I could taste of it was quite good. Will definitely return in the future (and go for something a bit less burning hot).

Nice stop for casual Mexican food at a reasonable (particularly for Boulder) price. Their featured item is a super spicy hot pork green chili which can be ordered as a bowl, a "taste" ie a cup, or as a component of another dish. The chili is good but the heat tends to overwhelm the other flavors when eaten on its own. If you want heat for the heats sake order the bowl of chili. Otherwise the food, which includes all the usual suspects-enchiladas,burritos, and tacos, is tasty but on the bland side. I had the beef and bean burrito smothered in the hot chili, a great choice because the flavors balanced really well. My friend had enchiladas, which she liked. Nothing fancy but worth a stop.

Efrains is amazing! Honestly the best Mexican food I've had in a while. I had the blue corn cheese enchilada and they were amazing! So cheesy and flavorful. The salsa they bring out is surprisingly pretty spicy and definitely not mild but so delicious. The service was quick and friendly. Surprised that there was a thirty minute wait on a Tuesday night, but it didn't feel too long. The house marg was also good but a bit sweet.

Delicious food, kind servers, fast service. What more could you possibly want? I will recommend this restaurant until the day I die.

First time at the restaurant. I don't know why it took me so long to get there. THIS IS THE BEST RESTAURANT EVER. Amazing service! Amazing food! Amazing atmosphere! Chicken enchilada sauce and burritos are my favorite meal. (using chicken breast in the burrito) I'll definitely be back next week

I have been to Efrain's at the old place on Arapahoe many times and they now have their business right off Canyon near Sprouts. It is a much nicer building but with the same great mexican food! I have been there twice at the new location and had really great mexican food on both trips. One of my favorite dishes is there red enchiladas with cheese and also really enjoy the chile rellenos. Whatever food item you choose to eat here is going to be great and the service is also excellent every time. If you want great New Mexican style Mexican food then this is the place to be! Enjoy!

Efrain's is the best Mexican restaurant in and around Boulder.. The quality of the food is amazing and much more authentic than most of the others in town ... those others taste no better than frozen Mexican food. I've been going here for years and have never been disappointed. If you haven't been to the 'new' restaurant I suggest you go ... it's harming and colorful. They're finally on DoorDash! Perfect for a snowy night like tonight or just when you want to stay home but want the great taste of EFRAIN'S Linda S.

I finally know where to get my soft Chile rellenos 's they were the best I've had in a long time, they're hard to find.Most restaurants have mostly the crispy rellenos they are easy to find They just have them in the freezer and deep fry them real quick and dump a bunch of green chili over on top and there's your crispy rellenos 's but I prefer them soft ones, it's a Chili's with a little bit of egg batter and a bunch of green chili and these were hard to beat.

I ate here when visiting Boulder last week. The service was quite good and the waier was attentive. Few downsides tough. They put out bowls of chips on the table and mine were cold and slighly stale...most places bring out fresh. The salsa (or whatever) was basically kethcup with some hot cauce in it and a very small amount. I got the chicken chimichanga which was OK but little of the chimichanga and mostly rice and beans sides and the chimichanga was covered in two huge scoops of sour cream and guac. The tap beer I wanted was out so I settled for the alterantive. Eating out is expensive and there a lot of choices. Next time I am Boulder, I will be trying a different place.

Friendly service and delicious food. Great portion for the price! Impressed. Will come back after a big hike in Boulder The outdoor seating is very nice with a view of snow peaked mountains in the back

Worst "Mexican" I have ever had. I'm from San Diego and am very familiar w/Mexican cuisine. Chicken tostada consisted of a tortilla w/ chicken on top covered w/ a mound of lettuce w/ oil and vinegar, and some shredded cheese. I had to pay extra to get avo and sour cream- which they didn't seem to realize comes w/a tostada! Meal cost me $55- never again!

Excellent Mexican food and margs. Had the bean burrito and both the chicken and beef chimichangas. All were fantastic with the bean burrito with (very!) spicy green chile verde pork sauce option and the beef chimichangas standing out the most. The chips and salsa hit the spot too.

This place has the best service and friendliest staff. But the food was disappointing. The Mondongo was too soupy. So much liquid that my rice and beans were practically under water. My wife had the flautitas which were over cooked. But on the bright side, what little meat filling there was in the flautita was tasty. And finally, we tried a couple of their signature margaritas, nothing to write home about. But you know what, I would probably give Efrain's another try, their waitstaff was so good and friendly and the restaurant was nice and clean.

Came here with the kid on a Saturday afternoon at 2pm. Place was packed so that's a good sign. Host was friendly and we were seated immediately. Chips and salsa were very good and we are currently on our second order of those. The salsa was not spicy at all on the day we went. It was very flavorful and delicious, just not a lot of heat. I ordered a skinny margarita and my son got a Dr. Pepper. My skinny was just OK. I've definitely had better; something about the after taste didn't sit well with me. BUT - my son MADE me taste his Dr Pepper. He said its the best he's ever had out of a fountain. I even let him get a refill (and it was delicious). I ordered the blue corn enchiladas with beef. The server recommended it as one of their specialities, and he's right. Nice blue corn tortillas and desabrada (shredded) beef. I normally wouldn't order beef but the server recommended it and I'm glad I took his advice. Super flavorful, tender shredded beef in this dish. I could only finish half but rest assured the leftovers are coming back to the hotel with us for later. My son just got a plain bean burrito with cheese. Nothing fancy but the refried beans here are A-MAZ-ING! They do not use lard in this joint yet somehow manage to churn out killer refried beans. Would definitely go back the next time we are in Boulder! .

Awful Mexican food. If you've ever had normal Mexican food before, you'll think it's pretty disgusting. The salsa tasted just like normal tomato sauce with a tiny kick. The servings were tiny and the nachos were just some chips with lettuce on top. There was virtually no beans or cheese. The service was pretty slow. I couldn't really hear myself think above the sounds in the room. Would not recommend.

Love this place. Best Mexican food in Boulder. Traditional Tex-med with a touch of authenticity. There's really not anything on their menu I wouldn't recommend. Their margaritas are also delicious.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in town. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu (unless the verde soup is xxx spicy...but that comes with the authenticity)

Overall, the food servings continue to get smaller, the service was certainly not friendly at all and the ambience was very disappointing. A total disappointment!!!!!

We just finished lunch. I had a delicious chicken, enchilada. Fernando. Our server did a very good job, very attentive, and very knowledgeable.

When we sat down our table was dirty. My wife and I ate here and the food came out cold. The food was not good and we both felt gross after eating it. My wife spoke to the manager and she was unfriendly and argumentative when we complained about our experience. Not our first bad experience here but it will be our last!

I've ordered from here plenty of times. This was the last. I cannot believe the meat in my order, hard as a rock. All of it. Not just a little bit. As a combat veteran I can eat just about anything. This was worse that any army food. As a bonus, the hole in the container ruined my pants. Please think again before eating here.

don't refrain from ordering efrain's chile verde.... the beef here is FIRE!!!! it's giving pot roast but in the most positive way imaginable. so tender & flavorful! skinny marg was fire. chips are good & on the thicker side. they strong.

My family and I have been coming here for over 15 years, and it is 110% on point every single time. Check Efrain's out if you want authentic Mexican food, decent prices, and notable service. By far Boulder's best Mexican restaurant.

Absolutely delicious food and staff was accommodating to the carnivores and vegans!!!

DELICIOUS!! My coworkers ordered me the chicken enchiladas with the pork green chili sauce on top instead of the red enchilada sauce and the dish was AMAZING. It it bought me so much wonderful nostalgia and reminded me of the flavors of this different dish my mom makes. It was sooo good The margaritas were great too! Definitely would recommend and look forward to my next visit

Why are there so many people here? Ok I just moved here from Texas last week and Boulder is better for almost everything, but if this is the Mexican food, not gonna eat it. Nachos 1/10 Salsa 2/10 Blue corn enchilada 5/10 Chicken Fajitas 2/10 and that's for the lettuce and tomatoes.

Food was good . It was good for Mexican food. It was a Wednesday and we waited about 30 to be seated. I would say it is gods fast casual Mexican. Not anything special. Had chicken burrito and it was good. The sauce for the chips could use some help it didn't taste anything out of the ordinary. Overall good for Mexican but don't know that I would wait for the lack of wow of the food.

Stopped in here last weekend for take out. My order was ready when they said it would be. I ordered the efrain burrito. It is a very good size burrito that will totally fill you up. I got the spicy green chili. I honestly thought it could have been a little spicier but I am just a spice lover. I was very pleased with my meal and I look forward to going back.

This was a no for us and we didn't even order food. We sat to the chips and salsa. Chips were burnt and the "salsa" is tomato sauce with a Tabasco sauce finish.

This place was packed. We had to wait almost an hour for a table. The staff was nice and the service was good. That's where the good ended. The food was not good. It was all bad. Everything we ordered was flavorless. The beef and chicken fajitas appeared to be boiled into chewed blandness. The enchilada sauce was very red with no taste. The spicy green chili pork bowl magically had spicy heat but no flavor. I live in Texas. I am Mexican. I have traveled extensively all over Mexico. I know good Mexican food and unfortunately, you won't find it here. We did not order drinks. Perhaps they make good margaritas.

Excellent Mexican food, food from Mexico. Thankfully not like California Mex or Tex-Mex, Sorry no photos this time too busy devouring my lunch, complimentary chips and salsa tasty.

Freaking delicious. Loads of chips and super tasty, rich and kinda garlicky salsa. The pork green chile was nice and spicy, deep flavor with big tender chunks of goodness. The beef burrito was also loaded with amazing tender meat, full of flavor. It took me a long time before coming here, but it was worth the wait. Sign on the table said they'd be moving from this 63rd Street location soon. Looking forward to eating more of their food in the Village Shopping Center!