Teocalli Cocina

Travelling to Denver for work. Came over here to try a new gluten free place. I was floored by the outstanding food and drink here. Everything is scratch made. The margarita was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy (I ordered the spicy pineapple marg). 10/10 would recommend if you are looking for amazing Mexican food that just happens to be gluten free!

Definitely a niche "azteca inspired"-mexican spot. If you have a pretty open pallet, this will be the spot for you. If you're used to typical colorado/new mexico/california/texas mexican food, you might not enjoy this place as much. I had the enchiladas (green & red) and I feel like the red tasted a bit heavy on cumin. The rice there is pretty sweet but cooked very well and not too dry! Beans were very good, the salsa were delicious as well but was still expecting more of a heat kick from them. The atmosphere was very welcoming and clean and decorated beautifully. The staff was friendly but seemed more attentive to certain parties at the bar. Overall a nice experience, just don't think my pallet was refined enough for their food 🙂

completely GLUTEN FREE kitchen. Great comfortable arm chairs that turn at our table. Food was out fast. Everything was delicious and fresh . Nice staff as well. Shout out to Ashley!!!! Happy hour is 3 to 5. NOTE: CHEAPER THAN MOST PLACES THAT HAVE BIRRIA. NO BRAINER IF YOURE GF ALSO

I LOVE this place! The food is consistently delicious and the atmosphere is always fun. Everything on the menu is gluten free- including the bar! The rest of my family loves this place too and they aren’t gluten free. Last night Penelope was so accommodating! She was so sweet and helpful when my party size increased and when the weather changed she found us a table inside.

Fun and fresh, Teocalli Cocina is a great place for drinks, appetizers, and a few street tacos on the patio. Austin took good care of us and made some good recommendations. It's a bit pricy, but the food is good.

Fully gluten-free restaurant. Most impressed I’ve been with a place in so long. Affordable, flavorful, veggie options, good vibes.

I visited on a Tuesday for their $3.50 toco deal. I ordered two carne asada and two Tijuana birria (quesabirra) tocos. Although I liked the tocos they fell short of my expectations. Both were pretty bland for what was supposed to be a gourmet toco. If you order the carne asada toco be sure you like onions. If I go back it won't be for the tocos rather their delicious spicy michelada.

This is a really great spot to dine at! We found everything to be great, from the food to the staff. I am very happy that we decided to stop here and sample some of the food that they have. Dining room area was very clean, we chose to sit outside, which was great. We started with the Birria quesadillas 9.1/10, these were excellent. It was a nice size portion and everything tasted fantastic. We then charred pasilla ribs, 9.5/10. The pozole Verde was amazing with lots of hominy and cabbage, 10/10. For entrees we tried a few of the tacos that were available. I strongly recommend the de birria tijuana style taco, 10/10. The pesco tempura style taco was pretty decent, just liking a little salt of seasoning 7.1/10. We look forward to coming back here again. I would say that this is a must try for anyone who is looking for a good food at a reasonable price.

If you are gluten-free (and even if you're not gluten-free, like me) this is a fantastic restaurant choice. I have several family members who are gluten-free including one who has celiac. What a relief to be able to go to this restaurant which has a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. The only thing with gluten in this restaurant is beer. The food is also delicious!! We ordered the chips and guacamole with several different dipping sauces. All of the tacos were tasty, but the group favorite was the Tijuana Style Shrimp Taco. SO GOOD! We ordered the Churros for dessert. They came with Dulce de Leche and Mezcal Creama dipping sauce. I don't think I've ever had better churros - GLUTEN-FREE churros! Our waiter was friendly, helpful and attentive. I liked the layout of the restaurant which was airy and modern. The garage type door was open which connected the outside to the inside of the restaurant. There's outdoor and indoor seating. Street parking is available.

I truly meant to snap some photos for this review, but by the time I remembered, all that was left were happy crumbs. So, you'll just have to trust me on this one. This is an absolutely great place to come for Taco Tuesday (or any other day, for that matter!). Just a heads-up: I highly recommend getting a reservation on Tuesdays, as it gets pretty packed. My group usually gets about 3 tacos a piece, and our absolute favorites include the Tijuana shrimp, de birria (Tijuana or regular), pescado (tempura or grilled), and the tuna tacos. Seriously, you can't go wrong with any of them. The churros are delicious (fresh) and the dipping sauces (Dulce de leche/Crema) are both pretty yummy Beyond the incredible food, I'm always impressed by how accessible Teocalli is. The accessible door is conveniently located through the side from the back parking lot. The staff is incredibly understanding and always makes sure to seat you where you can comfortably access. I especially appreciate how thoughtful they were when I had a knee injury; they always asked me what type of table I'd prefer before sitting down. I genuinely love the vibe here, and it's especially nice to sit outside on a warm day with a refreshing margarita. I'll get the photos on my next visit - don't worry!

OK, I admit it, along with hundreds of others, I am addicted to Teocalli Cocina, for many reasons!! Being welcomed along with my Service Dog "Pretty Eyes!" We always have a booth and Pretty Eyes is immediately served her water with my tea. DANG love be spoiled!! Treated with tender care! I was out for an adventure to another Mexican place, BUT GOOGLE made such a mess in directing, I HAD TO COME BACK TO Teocalli Cocina, I know where to drive, immediate parking and service is more than 5***** BTW: you do know the Chef here at Teocalli Cocina has Chef'd at a Michelin restaurant for a year; impressive. This time, the food was devine, yet I must show off my waitress! Here bedazzling BLUE EYES and Great Arm Tats!!! It is nice to be served with perfection and by a lovely lady. Pretty Eyes, serving Pretty Eyes - my service dog, she knows she is getting the best of life and love here at Teocalli Cocina I had the Enchiladas Oaxaca styles, with a side of tasty refried beans, I wonder what they add, seems so special, or it is the style of Teocalli Cocina which makes every part of our dinning pleasure, SIMPLY SPECIAL One last mention, the Bar is Full Service and Opened to the outdoor patio where all dogs are welcomed, plus food is also served. Simply a Great Place to relax and enjoy the pleasures of a well designed meal! Thank you Teocalli

Pretty spacious, beautiful, open air, American Hispanic atmosphere restaurant with a bar. Beautiful hanging plants and decorations with some booth tables and outdoor patio dining. Very delicious Mexican fusion food. We got the Queso Fundido, and salsa trio for starters. A variety of tacos including tempura avocado, birria, cotija, and more. Also got the Bruleed banana split for dessert. Thr Queso Fundido is a MUST order. May even recommend one for each person! Great service, delicious food, and beautiful and comfy atmosphere. Strongly recommend this restaurant.

I COULDNT BELIEVE MY TASTEBUDS. I GOT A MEAL THAT WAS A PLAY ON ELOTE, with tuna and it was absolutely delicious. This was Mexican food in fine dining style. They also have a really good happy hour. On my 4 days trip to Denver I came here TWICE. The inside outside seating is cute as well as their inside outside bar. The ambiance is all I could ask for and the service was great. The garlic rice is a must.

Teocalli has been an amazing addition to Olde Town. The decor and menu selections are great, and the best deals are during Taco Tuesdays and Happy Hour. They have ample outdoor and indoor seating. Larger groups may require some coordination so I would check if a reservation is necessary or expect to wait a bit. Staffing can be hit or miss. I've come an hour before closing and they will start to not seat folks even when tables are open. I think some sections are closed off. Food is great. Ingredients seem fresh. Guacamole is solid but the chips are thicker than I would prefer. I wish they were a tad thinner with more salt. Otherwise I enjoy this spot. You can select between street tacos or an entree. A nice pick and choose your adventure menu when some places are starting to thin down their menu options to three tacos or an entree.

Great set up. Friendly service. Great outdoor dining as well. The wait wasn't very long. I've been meaning to get here for some time. Happy I finally discovered what the consistent crowd is all about. I'm inclined to give this spot a higher rating after a couple more din dins.

Stopped in for lunch and really enjoyed the experience. Wait person made great suggestions. Tacos were excellent. Had the fish, tuna and shrimp taco. The Teocalli guacamole, chopped salad and ceviche.

We visited this place for the first time and amazed right the tasty food options they have. We sat outside on a sunny afternoon. Every dish was made to perfection and service was amazing. We have already marked it to visit again!

The drinks are great here, full of flavor and strong. The queso was good but not jaw dropping. The enchilada sauce was so very flavorful.

I met a friend for lunch at Teocalli Cocina in Arvada. I ordered two Pork Belly Tacos (Duroc pork belly, tamarind & chipotle glaze, pickled onions) and 1 Bigeye Tuna Taco (Bibb lettuce wrap, sticky rice, tamari ginger sauce, mango salsa). They were great. My lunch date ordered about 6-8 of the Pork Belly Tacos. We shared the Churros for dessert. The dulce de leche was the best! We had a really nice lunch. We hadn't seen each other in 27 years! The only buzzkill here was the server was super unfriendly!

Funny as you get older stuff that use to make you happy don't and things you would never think make you happy do. I loved the ambiance of Teocalli....tons of families with babies and young kids....that makes me happy as there is hope for mankind. Great resto in old town Arvada....beautiful layout. Loved my pineapple marg...though it wasnt strong Great guac and awesome chips. I had a three taco plate and it was bomb....loved the shrimp taco ( so good), Chicken was unique and delish, and the tempura fish was also excellent. I would def come back...and so should you!!!!

Hit up the TC again today. What a great place. We sat outside since the weather was perfect. We had the sweet corn appetizer...mmmm mmmm good. Carne asada and pork belly tacos followed. A nice surprise was the happy hour special knocking $1 off the tacos. Sweet deal. We had Madison serve us (again) and she lights up the room (even though we were outside). Always smiling, always checking on us and she makes us feel like family. Now that we are moving to the area I expect this to be a regular spot.

Amazing food! Located in old town Arvada. There are plants hanging around the restaurant, which adds a great ambience. We sat at the bar and had wonderful food and drinks. Very interesting flavors like the peanut salsa, that are original and make you remember what you ate. Can't wait to go back for more queso fundido, tacos and cocktails like the Prospector!!!

I was completely blown away by the tacos here. So flavorful, just delicious. And I'm a taco snob, I'm not effusive. Definitely hitting this place up again. Many thanks to my husband for taking me here. Absolutely fabulous.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon with four kids. They seated us quickly and the servers were very attentive. What we swallowed: *KIDS CHICKEN QUESEDILLA: My two girls split this plate. There was a lot of food for them and even came with a side of cut oranges. They liked it. It was tasty, I thought. *KIDS CHICKEN TACO: My daughter didn't like this as much as the quesadilla. I think the quesadilla had more flavor. The chicken was like shredded rotisserie chicken but a little more bland. *TACOS-BIRRIA and SHRIMP: Oh boy! These were tasty. They birria had great flavors and the shrimp was delicious and not too chewy. I would come back just for the shrimp tacos. Service was great, atmosphere was fun. We'd come back.

We went for lunch the other day and has a pleasant experience. The mango habanero shrimp ceviche was delicious. We also had the carne asada tacos, and an avocado taco. That needed more kick but overall great meal

What can I say--the food is excellent!!!Tonight was our 3rd time coming to this restaurant--our first was at their Layfette location. Regardless of the location the food--all GF--and the service is always excellent. Our server was Sasha and she suggested the Blistered Shishito Peppers (so yummy) and the Bruleed Banana Split for dessert (OMG!!). My wish is a that Teocalli Cocina opens a location in Denver Truly a Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance dream resturant. My partner doesn't not have an allergy and he absolutely loves this delicious unique Mexican Restaurant! Thank you for never disappointing us!!!

The salsas were unique and the tacos were absolutely amazing. The margs were a little sweet for me, but still very good!

So amazing! I was recently in Denver visiting friends and dropped in here for lunch. It was absolutely delicious! The service was friendly and knowledgeable. The ambiance was perfect for a warm late spring day. I can't wait to go back!!!!

Great gluten free restaurant! Service is Excellent and the margaritas and food are delicious

I will fully admit I was avoiding Teocalli locations after an awful service experience at the Louisville location, until we stopped in to the Arvada one a few weeks ago for Saturday happy hour. Honestly it completely changed my views and we'll definitely be back. Drinks were excellent, I love that their margs aren't sickly sweet and syrupy. They were light and fresh and strong (I had a standard marg and a Paloma, highly recommend both). Food was also excellent, loved that you can choose your trio of salsas with the chips when you order that, and all 3 were outstanding. Tacos were great too and happy hour pricing was just the icing on the cake. Service at the bar was excellent and the atmosphere is great, this is the perfect spot to sit on the patio on a nice day. We will definitely be back

Food was amazing! The atmosphere is fun! Drinks were great. We are from out of state and decided to try this place out and it didn't disappoint. Not a long wait for a weekend at 5. I decided to grab a drink while we waited and the bartenders were fast and the drink was tasty. I got a couple of different tacos. I liked how you only get 1 taco so you can mix and match to try out the different flavors. My husband got enchiladas and they were fantastic. All and all so glad we stumbled upon this place. Would come back if we are in the state.

Food is always amazing and our first server was lovely. Normally service is great here. Unfortunately tonight we had an unfortunate grumpy server who was condescending and very rude at the conclusion of our meal. Every other server we've have here has been wonderful but this particular experience taints the rest.

Teocalli is always bustling with energy and they have a fun, diverse menu. I got the chips and guac, pescado taco, carnitas taco, and house margarita. The margarita was delicious - well balanced in flavor and a fair serving of alcohol. The guac was good and had some kick to it. The tacos were a little bland and my biggest gripe (that knocked down the one star) was the portion size. The tacos are some of the smallest in the area. They aren't stingy on the protein (at least), but it's still a little small for a $5 taco. The service is always friendly and attentive. It seemed a bit busy, but our server was always making sure we had what we needed. I've sat inside and outside and they're both a really nice setup. Parking can be a bit of a pain, but that's all of Olde Town and not a Teocalli specific issue.

Stopped in for a business lunch on Friday. Got there right when they opened and was seated right away. The space is so bright with cute decor. Our server was attentive and friendly. I had an iced tea and started with chips and guac topped with chorizo. The guac & chorizo was a bit bland and needed some salt and lime or seasoning in general. The tacos I ordered were on point though. I had the De Birria and the Tijuana style shrimp. They were both flavorful and just the right size. I don't live in this neighborhood so its not convenient for me to go to, but if I did.. I would be at this place more often.

Everything here was pretty tasty! Our server was really kind and fun to chat with, and the drinks were great. I love the vibes here, and found that it was a great place to catch up with friends. Unfortunately there is not much spice going on in any of the dishes or salsas I tried, which is a personal preference I guess. Even the habanero salsa was not spicy at all. And the side of rice I got was a little bland. Otherwise, it was still yummy and I plan to come back to try a wider variety of items. It's a great location in Old Town.

We went here for happy hour with some friends. We watched the Michigan basketball game at the bar. They have a great happy hour. We all had tacos and house margaritas. I have the tuna lettuce wrap taco and the pollo taco. Loved them both. Very quality food. We shared the salsa trio as well. They have very unique salsas. The favorite among Eve eh one was the matcha salsa. Our waitress/ bar tender was attentive and quick. Family friendly and chill vibe. We will be back!

i had1 beer and my friend had 2 cocktails. He was holding his credit card machine and said the bill was 47 . Never showed us a bill . Because I was with my friend I just gave my credit card. I strongly suggest a paper bill before he uses his machine

Teocalli offers a top notch menu with a variety of starters, tacos, plates, and desserts. The restaurant is nicely decorated with both indoor and outdoor seating. The staff are pleasant and the overall experience is great. The place can get a bit busy, which does affect service. However, the food is worth the wait!

Good tacos, good drinks, good salsas. Salad has so much potential. They just need to massage the kale so.

My sis-in-law was in town and wanted to catch some dinner with us in Olde Town. Teocalli was a great choice. We came in later on a Sunday and had no problem getting seated. The staff was welcoming and we had some great entrée suggestions made and background provided on the cooking style and chef. I couldn't decide between the Suiza or the mole enchiladas. Lucky for me there is a half and half selection where you get both sauces! Woo-hoo! I know that mole is a labor intensive sauce with many ingredients. This sauce was rich and smooth. The Suiza (jalapeno cream sauce) had a nice kick to it. My dish came with beans and rice which were very tasty. With my dinner I enjoyed a Paloma. That was a refreshing treat. We shared chips and some of their roasted house salsa. This was dark roasted with a depth of flavor I wasn't expecting. Overall it was a great experience.

Came with a group of three and was sat down immediately. Definitely one of the better Mexican spots in Denver. We got the guac to share and it's definitely filling. If anything I got worried about finishing my dinner. I ended up getting 3 tacos for dinner. Got the shrimp tijuana style, cotija, and carnitas. All were delicious, but the cotija was my favorite. The tijuana style is basically like a grilled taco, so the tortilla is crunchy, which is still very tasty.

People often say, you can tell a good Mexican restaurant by the basics. Like Chips and Salsa. So, that's where we begin. Starters: - Chips with Trio Salsa ($9). The Chips are thick, crunchy, and fresh. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. We chose: -- MACHA - peanuts, dates, morita peppers * X-NI-PEK - diced pineapple, habaneros. Peanut-based salsa that was unique--and DELICIOUS! -- AVACADO VERDE CRUDA - raw tomatillos, diced avocado. A very mild salsa for the Gringos that don't like the heat. Good taste! -- CHARRED HABANERO (HOT!) - charred tomatoes, habaneros. We expected a lot more heat, but it's only mildly spicy. It was okay. Overall: We enjoyed the different salsas, but the portions are rather small. The favorite is the MACHA. - Blistered Shishito Peppers ($9). A generous portion of perfectly blistered peppers. Taste and seasoning was on point! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Entrees: - Birria de Res ($22). Charred beef short rib, guajillo stew, grilled bone marrow, caramelized leeks, mexican rice, refried beans. -- Bone was large (about 6" long and 2" wide) with a good amount of tasty marrow. The Short Ribs were juicy, medium rare, and complement the dish. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (see photo) - Pescado A Las Brazas ($24). Seasonal catch, nayarit zarandeado style, avocado, cucumber, aguachile, garlic fried rice, black beans. -- The fish was large and completely de-boned, so no worries of small spine or rib bones. Sadly, the seasoning was mild and didn't really have a robust Mexican flair. It was okay. (see photo) Happy Hour from 3:00 - 5:00. The menu only includes a few items, but we chose the Salsa Trio and some drinks. It's a good deal. Also, the side dishes of rice, beans, and small tortillas is a nice addition. Service: Attentive, friendly, and fast--even on a busy Friday night when the restaurant was full. Great employees! Ambiance: A busy place (5:30 on a Friday night), with good background music and nice, dark color decor. It's lively and you will feel welcome. Overall: We enjoyed the food, drinks, and service. I'm deducting 1/2 star for the small portions of salsa and 1/2 star for the Pescado that really wasn't flavorfully unique.

We were in the Arvada area and stopped by here for an afternoon drink and some appetizers. It was our first time so we seated ourselves at the bar. Tim, the bartender, told us it was happy hour and showed us what menu items were discounted. Then got us drinks. We tried the salsa trio. You get to pick which 3 salsas you'd like to try. We picked the Molcejete, macha and x-ni-pek. The Molcejete had a great roasted flavor and the x-ni-pek was a tasty combination of spice and roasted pineapple. We also ordered their guacamole. We wanted to sample their food so we each ordered one of their street tacos. Tim showed us which ones were their customer favorites. We tried the Carne Asada and De Birria. Both were very good. In general the place is deceiving. From the outside it looks like an old, somewhat tattered place, but inside it's clean and modern. The one downside to the restaurant is their parking. There are a few spots on the street close to the entrance if you're lucky. They've got a small parking lot of their own to the east and south of the building. But if it's busy, plan on parking a block north in the residential neighborhood.

Had a good fun experience here. We went all out. Loved the spicy pineapple margarita and the tacos. The queso appetizer seemed a little small and I personally wasn't a big fan of the chips. Everything else was delicious though.

I love coming here for happy hour! My favorite deals are the $6 house margaritas and $1 off all tacos. They do not skimp on the tacos here so you only need a few to feel full. Friendly staff and quick service, even when it's busy.

We had a great experience at Teocalli Cocina in Arvada. We sat at the bar and had outstanding service by our bartender. We had a chicken quesadilla, ahi tuna lettuce wrap and a carne asada taco. The food was really exceptional, way above other Mexican restaurants I've been to. Also loved the vibe. The noise level was perfect. We could talk without having to shout but could hear the music in the background. Can't wait to visit here again.

decent happy hour. All gluten free. Reasonably priced tasty tacos that fill you up.

Came on Taco Tuesday and sat on the patio on a nice sunny evening. First time here and ordered the salsa trio to start. I wasn't a big fan of the salsa tbh, but munched on it enough to be satisfied. My friend got the queso app and that was yummy. Ordered a couple tacos. The steak and the birria. Both were yummy tacos. Juicy enough they fell apart a bit. Service was friendly and the place has a great vibe. Would go back, might skip the salsa trip though.

The meat was dry, the corn tortillas were cold and the service was lousy. No ambiance just noisy. We wasted our money here.

We went out on a date night last night for cinco de mayo and we had a beyond EXCEPTIONAL server take care of us. His name was Kevin - he answered all questions, knew the menu and even recommended great adds/ cocktails! The restaurant itself was also a great vibe, and the entire staff was helping each other. But I can't stress enough how long it's been since I have been out and received exceptional service, and Kevin just blew it out of the water. Thank you so so so so much!

AYYY!! My favorite happy hour spot in Arvada. It's kind of a miracle that I've been here 2-3 times but haven't gotten any food or drink photos. Usually I'll order a few (spicy) house margaritas and tacos. The carne asana and birria ones are probably my go-to. Service is always great, and I love that there's a small parking lot next door. Get there EARLY (during happy hour) especially on Taco Tuesday because it gets super crowded.

Good Food and decent service We started with the Chips and salsa platter. All three were pretty good my favorite was the pineapple salsa. Carne Asada was good definitely not thin slice was more like steak tacos. Carnitas taco was delicious. My biggest regret was the Avocado Tempura definitely recommend going a different direction. Wife likes the chicken enchiladas had some good flavor. Overall not my favorite spot but decent lunch spot with great outdoor patio.

Is this place the most authentic? No. But is it absolutely delicious? YES! It's one of my favorite spots--always lively, with top-notch food. I have to get the peanut salsa every time I come; it's the most unique salsa I've ever had! Their guacamole is also incredibly fresh and flavorful. I usually go for the tacos, which are the perfect size--not too small, not too big. The fish and cotija tacos are my favorites.

Carne asada delicious, Tijuana taco worth trying, guac good, salsa and chips hit the spot. Service pretty painful, Short rib flavorless.

I've come to this spot multiple times and its so good every time! Walking in is ten times better than making a reservation. They keep a better track for walk-ins rather then reservation seating. Our server was very attentive, quick, and made sure our drinks were full. The food is a mix of modern/traditional Oaxaca dishes. Be open when coming here. If something doesn't sound good, you have to try it because it will surprise you. I wish the Margaritas could be bottomless some days, because they are magnificent. The trio dip is always a good choice to try multiple dips out at a time. They have a ton of options for the tacos, so you just might have to go back and try more ;)

What an awesome place! Great ambiance playing some 90's rock classics , and it was amazingly clean. The salsa trio is a must, and the charred pasilla was our favorite. Most reviews steer toward the Birria tacos; while they are great (and I recommend), even better are the Carne Asada tacos. Service was prompt, especially with the heavy influx of people before noon. I was doing a dry January, so I didn't get to try a cocktail or margarita. Next time...

Was in the area on Saturday night and had an early happy hour dinner. Prices were very reasonable. Tried the salsa trio, guacamole, and birria and pork belly tacos. Food was decent. Service was really good (refilled drinks frequently and they offered to split our check)