Illegal Pete's - Colfax

Great tastes, like a higher end version of what Chipotle tried to be! Bartender mixes a nice drink, food portions were so generous. Recommend the Coke Barbacoa and the pork- get 1/2&1/2 of each! Good vibe, fun people watching. Fun stickers everywhere too.

A Hidden Gem: Illegal Pete's I recently had the pleasure of dining at Illegal Pete's, and I can confidently say it's one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to. The atmosphere is incredibly vibrant and inviting, with colorful decor and a lively energy. The food was absolutely fantastic. Every dish I tried was bursting with flavor and made with high-quality ingredients. From the sizzling Barbacoa to the flavorful Burritos, everything was cooked to perfection. The service was top-notch. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. They made me feel welcome and ensured that my dining experience was enjoyable. If you're looking for authentic Mexican cuisine in a fun and lively atmosphere, I highly recommend visiting Illegal Pete's. It's a hidden gem that you won't want to miss!"

My 1st time here and the food was just OK. Burritos are big but for $10-14 for just a burrito depending on what you get inside, it can get a bit pricey. Nice layout with a big open patio and a good draft beer selection. The staff was also very friendly and helpful.

On a hot summer day, it was the outside patio with water sprayers drew us into this establishment. The atmosphere, on a Sunday afternoon, was high energy, more crowded than is comfortable and too loud for conversation, but folks appeared to be enjoying themselves in large groups, families, and couples tucked in corners. The menu was basic with burritos and tacos at the center. The food and portions were decent for the price. The service was quick and friendly as we made our way down the buffet style line. It isn't a bad spot to stop if you're more about socializing than eating.

I used to love Illegal Pete’s until they became pro Hamas. They have some pro Palestinian stickers at their register which makes me feel unsafe going there because there’s nothing to advocate for the hostages who were kidnapped from Israel and there have been a lot of attacks on Jews locally since a war that Hamas started began. This disgusting. Stick to making tacos instead of being pro terror.

I love Illegal Pete’s because of the multiple options you can add to your order! Their food is always fresh and delicious. The staff greet you warmly with a smile and seem to enjoy what they do. The pork green chili is delicious and so are the chips and guac! A delicious place to check out any time!

Had a great time at Illegal Pete’s. My biggest takeaway was how inexpensive drinks were. In addition to inexpensive drinks, the food was good, the bartender was really nice and they had a good beer selection. The biggest highlight had to be the bathroom mirrors, because the restroom had two mirrors instead of one which meant two mirror selfies.

Fun atmosphere and good food. Nothing outstanding but it’s good and pretty quick. The portions are a good size, the staff is friendly and a quick moving line. Their salad with 3 can carnitas was yummy, the nachos are good but get soggy quick, and their fish tacos with beer battered fish are good. Price is decent for what you get.

Revision: in the last few months it really feels like Illegal Pete's (colfax) has stepped it up with the salt distribution. I've had at least three near-perfect compositions. The pricing structure of the burritos also appears to have changed slightly for the better. In the same period, I also tried ~3 Chipotle meals, which have been considerably worse in both quality and value compared to my memory. As all reviews are relative, I believe Illegal Pete's deserves a respectable 4. Not perfect, but the best chipotle-like available locally. Congratulations to Pete.

Lots of homeless immigrants making it feel third world authentic. Gritty yet cooly typical of Colfax.

All the servers are great, Pete's is a local favorite in town. Drinks are delicious and happy hour is long. There's an app for rewards and I should have downloaded as often as we go to Pete's...but I just can't with another app. Still love this place and miss it every time I move away.

We got Illegal Pete's delivered for lunch and it was wonderful! The queso was very tasty! All of the food was very fresh - even with delivery. We will definitely be ordering again!

I was curious about the name and then about the building so I stopped to pay a visit. Plus it was time for lunch. Ahh, burritos are on the menu. Tried the grilled steak and added guacamole to make it extra better. The burrito was excellent so I returned a couple of days later to try the beer battered fish burrito. Another home run. Burritos, tacos, salads, bowls and more - they got you covered. I see why this is a fan favorite.

Awesome place for a quick bite. Ordered the carnitas quesadilla and they were really good!! The meal comes with 2 sides (dipping sides) and I got guac and queso. Both of the sides were really tasty. Tons of seating inside and outside. The place was clean, the service was great and fast. 10/10

I'm in disbelief about the negative reviews because this is honestly the best place I've been to. The staff is the BEST (Randz. Jess, Matt, Kat, grant, bud, Sherman, j ray) I have been coming here 3-5 times a week for years and have always had an amazing time. The food is delicious and affordable, the atmosphere is great, the drinks are awesome and reasonably priced. This is an incredible local spot. Appreciate you guys and all your hard work! Sorry for all the complaining Karen's on here

A better version of chipotle/qdoba! The food is fresh, service is quick, and there's a great outdoor area to sit in addition to a large indoor space. Highly recommend a burrito bowl & adding the potatoes

Grabbed a late dinner here after traveling in and someone local recommended. I got a kids bowl with chicken for a smaller portion and they made sure to load it up with protein and rice, that my toppings barely even fit. The rice seemed a little undercooked and was crunchy but everything else was pretty good. The inside looks super fun and would like to dine in sometime. The queso is really tasty, I like the chunks of peppers in it.

My wife and I enjoyed a great meal at Illegal Pete's tonight. I ordered the Baja Fish Bowl and it was delicious. It was freshly prepared and served within about ten minutes of my order being placed. The serving was ample and I certainly plan on going back soon.

Why the attitude? I am a single dad and this is had been my spot when I have the kiddo. Every time we come the staff has been rude and it keeps getting worse. Just a bunch of 20 somethings working with a power trip now. When my daughter orders, the line cook said "what" a couple times so I barely lean in (not over) to tell them what she said and I have two employees yelling at me to get back with such an aggressive tone, like I have a gun or something. So completely unnecessary and off putting. I don't need this and teach my daughter to respect herself and remove herself from negative situations. I have spent close to $1000 over the years, but I am convinced they don't care. Unless they reach out and apologize in some way this will be my last time there.

I really enjoyed the steak nachos. Their queso and guacamole is quite good as well. It's always crowded so you know it is good. And the quality is better than other Mexican chains.

I typically love this place s but the bowl and margarita turned me off officially. The margarita tasted like mix and the steak bowl was so disappointing. It was for a teenager too nice to say it wasn't what he wanted as it was basically lettuce and he ate the steak out and left hungry. All in all, was a little disappointed and would rather eat at Chipotle next time :(.

really fortunate to have this establishment in our 'hood. food is excellent, good prices, super nice staff, good strong drinks. come party !!! ha ha pork or veggie green chile, sopapillas! wheat or flour tortillas, brown or white rice, choice of veggies, lettuce or cabbage. healthy and tasty choices, good music, young nice customers. cool misting shaded patio, excellent margaritas, twenty-one craft and mexican beers on tap!

I am not a big fan of Pete, met him once and he was not a nice person. However, this is such a cool location I wanted to check it out. Crazy busy location, so the tables, floor, and chairs were fairly dirty. Almost got run over by one of the employees who didn't even say excuse me or sorry for it. Not a good first impression, but I decided to sit down anyway. The service was good, but like another reviewer mentioned I also noticed the coughing over the food station. I also observed one person who did not have their hair in a net or tucked up into their hat. Pandemic or not, these are health issues that should be addressed immediately. I ordered a burrito and it was decent. For the price though, I don't know if I would return. The space is really cool, but that really doesn't have anything to do with the restaurant as they bought it this way. Overall, not great but ok.

Good quality local spot for chipotle style burritos. The Baja fish burrito is worth checking out. Super unique but very satisfying. Ordered online and it was seamless. Cute patio out back. Would be fun with friends

Anytime that I am in Colorado I make it a point to come and visit the Illegal Pete's franchise. I am OBSESSED. As a California Native that went to Wyoming to live for a year, it was a tough year to be away from delicious Mexican food. Illegal Petes is exactly where is needs to be the food is always fresh, the food is always quick, and always customizable. There are many throughout the state and especially in the city areas. If you get a chance to go when you are in the area, make sure that you also bring your appetite.

I love illegal Pete's. There is Nothing fancy or special about this place but it is a go to spot for simple affordable tacos, quality guac and queso, AND the best deal on happy hour.

The workers in this location are some of the rudest people you could ever encounter I've seen a lot of people NOT washing their hands in there as well. I would only give them a zero stars but unfortunately to leave a review you have to leave at least one star if you have to go to illegal, Pete's go to the one on Oneida in ParkHill.l!

This is a cool local spot with a lot of flair and fun built in. If you're in Denver and are looking for a burrito don't settle for chipotle or Qdoba before trying illegal Pete's. It's a local flavor of the classic build your own burrito chain plus it has a bar and happy hour specials that are pretty appealing. Now they do make their politics well known but that's something I can overlook, personally, because I'm just here for the burrito and they delivered on said burrito. I'm also not sure if Pete is illegal or the idea is that their burritos are so good they should be illegal. The latter is more fun so that's what I default to and would say fits best with my experience.

One of our guilty pleasure spots to hit on a weekend night! The staff there are incredibly friendly! Their food is tasty, and after a long week the margaritas really hit the spot! They also have plenty of outside seating, and a parking spot right behind the restaurant! Great place to hangout with friends or for a date night! Highly recommend! Dan & Lexi

Oh boy. Illegal Pete's is Gooood! And man, some of the best chips I've ever had. Got a good ol burrito. Loved all the topping options. And lots of seating. I didn't get a good look inside at the seating, but outside had plenty. It was such a beautiful day we had to take advantage! They also had some strong heaters that helped.

Hands down my favorite location to go to Illegal Pete's! My husband loves it here as well. Portions are perfect, staff are friendly, queso is on point! We have never had a complaint. The ambiance is rather unique so definitely check it out. Excellent patio for summer quick date nights!

Unreal service -- for a $50 meal you get an attitude. Just rude and even after leaving a tip the cashier didn't treat me well (was standoffish & rude). I would give it a one but because Jake was cool and had a good demeanor I gave them an extra point. I will stick to the other location on 38th next time.

Here are the very legal facts about Illegal Pete's. This is a chain similar to Chipolte. They offer tacos, burritos, bowls and serve alcohol. This location is unique looking because it used to be an IHOP. They have a large outdoorpatio covered in misters so you can cool down even when the summer heat sets in. There is also a good sized parking lot directly behind the restaurant so fighting street parking isn't a problem. The food is not spectacular but not bad at all. I had a bowl and even paid extra for the pork green chile but I was pretty underwhelmed by the lack of flavor. I can definitely get behind the chips and queso though, so maybe this is a place more suited to bevs and appetizers to share with friends.

Ate here 12/30/23 at around 7:30pm. Place was completely empty. Staff was nice but I've had the worst food poisoning of my life since I ate here. It's been 3 days of nonstop feeling bad. I had a steak/barbacoa burrito. It was good at the time but I have been dreading my decision since.

Got a burrito bowl with chicken and the line moves super fast. Similar to chipotle. Prices are good and some good happy hour specials

I have had to complain about poor quality food and missing ingredients so many times they just told me they don't have time for this and to order elsewhere. What a way to run a business, shit food quality, no accountability, and asshole employees!

I've heard the myths. I've heard the legends. On Friday, at seven weeks as a Denverite, I popped my Illegal Pete's cherry. Pete, you salty dog. After one visit, I can see why Colorado loves you! Not sure about the other locations, but on Fridays at Colfax it's emo night. My girlfriend was in absolute heaven. The hardcore tracks ultimately fit the vibe of the young, college-y hot spot. There was a line out the door around 8pm. But even though there weren't that many people behind the counter, they did a nice job churning out orders. I landed on Chicken Nachos. It's not the prettiest plate of food you'll ever receive, but that's not why you come here. I added green chili, sour cream, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and sautéed veggies. Flavor bomb! The chicken had a fantastic char and carried the saucy nacho-ness of a comfort food coma. Paired with a Jarritos, I was satisfied. Definitely met my expectations after dine-in numero uno. It can get kind of rowdy and messy inside due to the young clientele. If it's a lovely night, sit on the spacious, dog-friendly outdoor patio! In this case, I can see why Colorado doesn't want to legalize Pete. They want him all to themselves!

I'm so torn by my last two experiences. This used to be my go to burrito place. The photos were from our recent visit. The ingredients of the two bowls were mixed up. The base rice and beans, and the potatoes got switched. Cheese in the primavera, and somehow meat got in one of the non meat bowls. It was a pickup order and we noticed a few minutes after leaving. So we attempted to correct the order which was a big mistake. It just got cold and inedible. Our dog loved it. Expensive dog food. The lack of attention to detail for the price is not worth it. Probably not coming back for quite a while.

My boyfriend and I love this place! I'd had it for the first time on the location on Broadway but this one is closer to home. We walk to it typically but there is a small parking lot behind it and street parking everywhere near Colfax. I've tried several different things here and it's all delicious. Chips and queso is great. I've had fish tacos, taquitos, and a burrito. I love that you can choose whatever topics to get and you get so much food!! They have horchata on tap which is unique! Definitely a great place to get some Mexican!

Although I would prefer undocumented Pete's, this restaurant is a gem for a quick lunch. I feel better coming here than going to chipotle or Qdoba and it has more character. I also feel like the staff is generally more happy. This is a ideal place to get a quick lunch and they also serve alcohol

Always good, always dependable. If you haven't been and had your burrito ingredients properly stirred prior to being rolled up, you may be missing out.

Their wait time estimates are always volatile for online orders. Sometimes it's there 10 minutes before your suggested time and other times it's 30 minutes later. The website needs to be more dynamic in that regard. EDIT: I'm gonna be a petty Karen and edit my comment every time this is the case so maybe something changes. Day 2 of not remotely close to the suggested pickup time. Off by 15 minutes this time :) My order is the smallest of smalls. I'm annoying. Yay.

Illegal Pete's is very expensive and gross. My burrito was cold. It costs more to add a tiny portion of guac than buy an entire avocado.

Illegal Pete's wasn't my choice for lunch but I was in a group and we were meeting others there. So I went in with an open mind. When I walked in I was pleasantly surprised with the decor and friendliness of the staff. The menu is posted above the order area. They have a large menu selection for a Tex Mex fast casual restaurant. They range from tacos, burritos, bowls, salad, nachos, quesadillas and they have a bar!!!! I ended up getting the bowl. The bowl has the choice to had chips or a tortilla on the side. I did the chips. I chose the pork carnitas as my protein, brown rice, veggies, cheese, sour cream, corn salsa, cilantro lettuce and added guacamole. The amount of food was a very large portion but it was flavorless. I went and got extra sour cream and salsa verde to add some more flavor and to make it easier to mix. While it was easier to mix it didn't get anymore flavorful. To sum it up in my opinion Illegal Pete's is a Chipotle knock off. They don't have the same flavor as Chipotle but they have some really cool decor, a large menu selection and really try to differentiate themselves. Illegal Pete's 2001 E Colfax Ave Denver, CO 80206 Sunday January 27, 2019 2:30pm

This is a nice, casual eatery. I was actually walking by and decided to stop here and eat. They have a large outdoor patio that looks like a great hang out spot to have drinks. I walked in and placed an order for the beer battered fish tacos. I went on a Saturday, and it was moderately crowded, but they still had seating inside and outside. The tacos were good. They were well seasoned and the fish was really tasty. The vibe is definitely more of a bar look and feel. Overall, I would stop here again.

Literally just leaving this review cause Pietro is an elitist moron. But also because I love illegal Pete's

Reverse TARDIS It's smaller on the inside. Yeah...that's right....I just threw down a Doctor Who reference and it was spectacular! I love illegal Pete's! The food is always wonderful, as are the drinks. This particular Illegal Pete's is in a really cool building. The ceiling is vaulted, which gives it a really unique look inside. It's a bit cramped, however. The best seating is actually outside. The deck is spacious, comfortable, and equipped with a water mist system. Perfect for groups!! Enjoy!!

What everyone else said. (OK. Here's more: Better than the C Word for buffet-style Mission burritos, quesadillas, etc. In fact they package a little bit of magic inside those aluminum foil wrappers. Check out the pix below. See how they made a burrito disappear within the time it took you to read this review.) Sign me, David "the C Word is Chipotle" M

This is one of my favorite locations! I feel across the board the staff is always friendly and helpful and if something isn't served the way it is supposed to be they are quick to fix it. I usually get the burritos and I think all the way around regardless of what you get that the meat is always good, they are very generous with the portions, and Illegal Pete's has a nice beer option and sides to go with it. It's definitely my go-to when I want a good burrito.

Don't go to this location. Incompetent, rude and just bad vibes. No customer service skills either. Spilled my drink accidentally in front of the server who brought out our meal and wasn't offered a napkin or anything. It was as if he didn't feel like being of service for his 20% tip we left as well.

Very surprised and disappointed to find out that what's marketed as vegetarian/vegan on the menu is the absence of protein - rather than vegetarian/vegan proteins. Seems so archaic and non-inclusive for what could be a great place.

I popped in for a quick nosh before flying out of town, and it was probably just the right kind of stop for that. We weren't quite ready for a full meal and walk down the build-a-burrito line, but chips, queso, and guac were just what the doctor ordered. Miss the burrito bar and you still have the bar bar to go to, and that's where they serve up the margs. As a non-drinker that was lost on me, but they have that separate bar in the middle there just for drinky drinks and I'm told they do a fine job. The vibe is like a rock n' roll Chipotle. I think they probably hate the comparison on any level, but it's inevitable. Still, if you were ever like, "Hey, I love the burritos but I wish instead of an IKEA interior it was a bar with '80s music and rock posters" then this is your dream.

2/21/20 - Very delayed post due to work travel/covid. I was in town for a ski trip going to Breck, and we happen to drive through Denver and needed a quick spot for lunch, we wanted to try something local and sort of wanted tex mex. Drinks (N/A): There was a bar inside available, but we were trying to be quick. Food (4/5): The best part about this restaurant is the customization and having a variety of options to spicing up your burrito or bowl. For me the menu was confusing and too many things going on, but luckily I was in a large group and I just watched all the people front of me. I ended up getting a chicken bowl with chips on the side. The bowl had white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, a medium salsa, but I mixed it up with green chile which didn't really blend well with the salsa I picked. It was like $12 for that bowl with a cup of water, for the amount of food and the price compared to other comparable places it was fine, nothing impressive to me. But I would like to try this place again at another time when I am not rushed and make a better judgment call because the other reviews are so good for this place.

I've truly never been a big Illegal Pete's fan but for some reason I was surprised with how well this location seasoned their meats and veggies- way more so than I remember in years past. If I go to Illegal Pete's again...this will be the location!

My wife and I have been ordering from here pretty regularly for a long time and always love the food -- however, today we saw something that made us not want to return. I want to preface this by saying we absolutely hate complaining and we weighed posting anything about this at all, but it really actually bothered us. We decided today that rather than picking up and eating at home, we would sit outside at the restaurant and enjoy the nice weather. When we went in to order, the staff seemed friendly enough but one of the employees began coughing with a pretty phlegm-y cough directly over the beans / rice / meat without covering their face and no mask. This happened about three times in a row, followed by one cough directed at the grill with a very slight arm-cover over the face. The person made eye contact with me right after doing it, and acted like it was totally normal. There's no place I've ever been or no person I've ever met who would find this normal or acceptable. We are aware that the pandemic is "over" in a lot of people's minds, but this isn't even just about a covid risk. In non-pandemic times, this would've shocked us and grossed us out. We still finished placing our orders and paid, and tipped 25% for whatever reason... but when we walked outside and sat down, we both started discussing it and how gross it was and decided not to eat, and we just left. We were talking about how we can't help but wonder "If this is what they do openly in front of customers, what should we think about their behind the scenes food prep or other actions they take around food and general cleanliness?" I'm more disappointed than outright mad about it, because we really loved coming here and now we're both honestly too grossed out to come back to this location again. You can't just have an employee coughing on the food like that. Again; I do hate to complain or take this to Yelp, but this is something that needed to be pointed out so that other people have a bit of a heads up. *1 star for this location specifically, and due to this experience. If you're looking for a review of Illegal Pete's in general, go to the 16th Street location. 5 stars, great food and very clean.

I got the pork sauce covered chicken filled burrito and it was so delicious! It filled me up!! My only recommendation is to eat it quickly otherwise it gets soggy.

This is an awesome place for a cold beer and a delicious burrito! Great deal at happy hour too! You won't regret it.