Santiago's Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Denver

At work, we have the Friday Feast. Different people take turns bringing in breakfast items on Friday morning, from doughnuts and bagels to homemade breakfast casseroles to breakfast burritos. That's how I first learned about - and tasted - and greatly enjoyed - the famous foil-wrapped breakfast burritos prepared by Santiago's.

They've got burritos down to a science, or a very scientific art. Their breakfast burritos are small, with just the perfect combination of ingredients and just the perfect amount of green chile, too. It's easy to eat two or three, because of their smaller size, but also because the green chile is so delicious, so compelling. And also because they are so affordable! I have had many a Friday Feast with a Santiago's sausage and egg burrito with hot green chile. Too many to count, probably.

Santiago's green chile is excellent. It's a family recipe, handed down for generations. The cooks begin making it from scratch every day at 2 am! The restaurant uses local ingredients, particularly eggs and meats from long-time family operations near Denver. The business is well-known for supporting local charities and promoting Breakfast Burrito Day every October in Denver.

Santiago's is often listed as a fast-casual restaurant, because it is Denver-centered, was founded in the same general time period as the better-known fast-casual spots, and has grown to have a substantial presence around the state. Almost thirty locations, I believe. The VERY FIRST Santiago's was in Brighton, but the restaurant at 6th Avenue and Santa Fe is my favorite, and the one most people cite when they think of the franchise.

For further information, search for Westword's excellent article, "Santiago's Helps Make Breakfast Burritos Denver's Official Food." It's by Mark Antonation and was published in October, 2017. Also, look for "A Q&A With Denver’s Breakfast Burrito Bosses" by Callie Sumlin in 5280 magazine (October, 2018).

Lastly, the breakfast burrito filling is important, and revolves on a strict schedule. Ready? Here goes. Monday: ham; Tuesday: German sausage; Wednesday: bacon; Thursday: chorizo; Friday: pork sausage; Saturday:...

Santiago's (don't know which location) made probably a thousand breakfast burritos for the 2018 Denver Startup Week for a Wednesday evening event sponsored by Dice. I'm a pescetarian, and got a couple of burritos during the night which were supposed to have been vegetarian, at different times from different servers. Except every single one of the three had chicken in it in addition to the potatoes and eggs that were supposed to be inside without the chicken.

You'd think they'd be individually labelled for what's inside (I was told it's the box they're from that's labelled), but they're only individually labelled for spiciness, not for dietary restrictions.

I don't know whether it was a labeling or the ordering/preparing issue, or both, but, regardless, not making any proper vegetarian burritos for an event with a thousand of people is a major fail in my book — if only 5% of folks were vegetarian, that's 50 people who had to taste disgusting-to-them things in their mouths, as the chicken was very well hidden inside between the egg and potatoes. Besides, how difficult is it to make an item without one of the 3 ingredients?! Vegetarians still eat eggs and cheese (the burritos didn't have any cheese, though), so, it's a very easy diet...

I come here quite often right next to my work food's always good. Reasonably quick. Not too expensive..? My orders have always been accurate. walk"-in is okay can get a little packed around lunch there sometimes and try to rush you in and out a little bit but that's pretty typical of any busy restaurant. Service is always decent it's never like over the top good but it's never terrible either very casual laid back blue collar type of place. The food used to be better though I'm not sure exactly when but it changed. how they are preparing the ingredients just a little different and it's not for the better. Probably trying to cut costs but it seems like the beans and green chili are a little watered down just not quite The quality it once was. Not sure why they were change anything he was really good the way it was . I've been to other Santiago's that are Not very good at all. I plac.this one at the top two or three I've ever been to. Edit 1-16-25. past 3 or 4 weeks I've been there quite often it looks like they fixed whatever the problem with the food was tastes really good again thank you and as always never cease...