We believe in doing things the right way. Not because it’s trendy or cool, but because it’s right. We change our menu with the grow season, supporting our neighbors and the terroir of Colorado. We are not your average Mexican joint, rather a reflection of our environment and beliefs.
We hand make our tortillas every day. All of our pork comes from one whole hog. Our chefs breakdown the whole animal, for chorizo, appetizers, stocks, soups, and entrees. Nothing is wasted. We do this out of respect for the animal and for the people who raised them for us. Anything we can produce in our kitchen is done by us, with love. No frills, just good food.
We do an amazing brunch on the weekends, and by default or menu is nearly 100% gluten free.
Safety precautions
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff temperature check required
- Diner temperature check required
Popular dishes
Mole Enchiladas
grilled chicken adobo, queso fresco, pickled onions, house-made tortillas
7 reviews
Queso
four cheeses, pepitas
8 reviews
Crab Nachos
guajillo & dijon mojo, cilantro, asadero cheese, xni pec
7 reviews
Menu
Love this place!
My favorite place to take new friends. The margs are creative and delish!
Excellent food and very nice people! We'll be back often.
Great food drinks and service
My friends and I went to brunch here on a Sunday, we had a reservation but without one it would've been fine! Everyone we spoke to on staff was so nice, the food was absolutely delicious, and the $13 bottomless mimosas were beyond worth it! Our waitress kept our cups full and we had a great experience. Will def be back!
Delicious food, great service, fun atmosphere. Will definitely visit here again.
We went there for Sunday brunch… The crab nachos were awesome… fish tacos we’re nice and crispy and delicious… great margarita and cold beer… :-)
Always amazing!
Wonderful spot tucked in my old "hood" where I grew up! I love the ambiance and the food is fresh, original and delicious! Our Server was amazing! She added so much to the experience. Oh, and the Margaritas! Oh la la! So many amazing choices. It is a MUST experience!
Went early on a Tuesday night. The patio is small and all tables were taken so we ate inside. Indoors the tables are spread apart nicely and the noise level wasn't distracting. The margaritas were amazing (try the strawberry basil!), as was the guacamole with flour chips and the perfectly spiced chicken mole enchiladas. Portions weren't too large, prices were fair, service was quick and friendly. A delightful experience overall!
First time here and will definitely return. Very good food and drinks (really excellent guacamole, al pastor/Barbacoa tacos/enchiladas mole entrees, and various margaritas) and very friendly service. Only complaint is that it felt a bit rushed - start to finish (including an appetizer) we were only there 40 minutes - they weren’t full and no one was waiting for a table so would have been nice to slow down the food service a bit.
Great Service, Food and Drinks!
I was a little disappointed in the food as the fish tacos had more cabbage than fish. Same for the chicken tacos. The 3 sauce chip platter is excellent.
First time here and really enjoyed our brunch.
Super yummy Mexican food!!!
The food was great and our waiter Anthony was very friendly and attentive.
Atmosphere was fantastic and food was even better!
Excellent service throughout the night, the food and drinks all tasted great, and the plantains with the banana split and with dinner as a side with the fajitas were delicious.
Love the service! Very family friendly!
Great service and food was delicious as were the drinks!
Our server was very attentive, happy hour was great and the food was delicious!
Absolutely love El Jefe! It’s our go to spot for brunch and happy hour is such a deal. Love the food and drinks!! Always recommend to friends when they’re looking for something new in Sunnyside/highlands area.
I now know where to get warm beer and lousy service. Food was good probably will not go back again
Mexli, sorry I am sure I spelled her name incorrectly, but she was amazing! Great service, always checking to make sure we were ok and happy! We toasted my husband for his birthday and she brought him a surprise for his birthday! They were absolutely delicious churros! Great service and great food! The perfect combination!
Pretty table by the window, friendly waitress, and yummy food made for an enjoyable night out!
We were looking for a different kind off Mexican food. Not your every day Mexican style. El Jefe’ s was it! We enjoyed the food and the service was the best. The manager, ( Johnny) made sure we were taken care of. The four of us will all be going back for sure. We would all recommend this restaurant .
Guac is the bomb. Margs are on point! Food, service, and churros are great too!
Hostess was sub par from previous experiences, but love el jefe
Birthday and Fathers Day
I always bring out of town guests here, this time it was my brother! We love the food, and the hosts always do their best to give us our ideal seating.
The mole enchiladas are delicious. This is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Sunnyside!
Amazing food! Service was reallyc really good - and the food came out super quick. Owner came out and the end of the meal and gave us free desserts because it was our first time eating there!
El Jefe never disappoints. Awesome margs. I always get the spicy, Mami Casa marg. Their guac and chips alone are worth the trip alone, but the rest of the menu is always great. My favorites are the pulpo (octopus), farm quesadilla, fish tacos and carnitas bowl. Servers are always great and cooks crush it. If you haven't been here....what are you even doing?!
Tequila drinks are on point! It's a bit basic of a brunch menu, but delicious.
Amazing food and drinks were delicious!
Food was great. Service was good - no complaints. Didn’t like sitting in the area behind the host stand - didn’t feel as good as the patio or near the bar so it felt like we were losing out on something. We will be back.
Always a good time and great dinner.The staff and management are always on point and take care of business.Chef takes pride in his menu and delivers extraordinary cuisine.
Brunch was great! Food was awesome and Kayla and Marta were our servers and they were friendly and fun. Will definitely be back
This is the best Mexican restaurant in Denver, period. The service is exceptional and the food is equally outstanding. There is not a better host than James the owner of el jefe. We will be back again and again.
Id give more than 5 stars if i could❤️
FAQs
El Jefe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (720) 389-7615.
El Jefe is rated 4.8 stars by 463 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.
