Madre Cocina y Lounge — Restaurant in Fort Collins

I think people have lost their tastes if you ask me. I can cook anything, I've spent my entire life learning how to cook well. That's the problem. It's hard to impress me, but maybe the world needs more "me's"

Madres...

The first time my fiance & I went here, the food quality was excellent, the atmosphere.... well, it hasn't changed much.

So let's rate this.

Atmosphere: Great deco, lighting is a 4, it's too bright and lacking intimacy for an "upscale" experience. The Bar needs lower lighting to bring the ceiling down, like most places in fort collins, i don't think they would compete very well in places such as Denver. So I give it a 4.

Service: Absolutely incredible, positive, encouraging, however, when push came to shove, they talked up their chef, when they should have been honest. For being positive they gain points, but for not being 100%, they lose a point. Their chef wasn't up to par.

Food: The first time we tasted was Dec 31st 2024, the food was excellent. Today, Sept 25th 2025. The food was crap.

The biggest thing I care about at a restaurant is quality of food.

Madre, charges $31-35 for Octopus, it doesn't matter if it's a saturday or a weekday, the amount you charge should equal the quality of food. In Fort Collins, the Octopus tasted like crap, rubbery, over cooked, burnt, etc.... It doesn't matter, you should employ a chef that can produce. For a fact, I've never cooked in a kitchen and yet I can cook octopus or scallops or anything without worrying about it becoming rubbery, hard, dry, overcooked, lacking moisture etc...

Madre lost the most points with the price points to the food quality. The food doesn't equal the dollar spent. And I don't care how rich or wealth you are, if you're leaving a glorifying review then you're full of crap, you're the person who gets told what "art is" and goes with it. I know what art is, I know what food tastes like, but I believe more and more that people don't know how to cook and don't know what food should taste like and as a result, people think crappy food tastes good.

My conclusion is, unless I get an invitation to retry the food with a new chef, I won't return for the food.

It saddens my heart, the staff here is amazing, the atmosphere could use a major increase to compete with Denver (let's forget about lipstick because that's most of fort collins) but the food is worthless for the cost.

Thank you for your best effort Madre, your staff gave it their best and they deserve all the credit, but unless I want a margarita or a good conversation with your incredible bartenders, I'm just not interested in that level of expense without the wow...

✨ ANNIVERSARY DINNER AT MADRE FoCo ✨

Last night, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at the rooftop of the @theelizabethco for drinks and dinner @madre.cocina — and it was one of the most memorable dining experiences we’ve had in Colorado.

From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Daniel, the business manager and son of @armandochavez0877 , one of the owners who had kindly helped us make our reservation. We were also lucky enough to meet César, the professional mixologist and co-owner, whose creativity behind the bar truly elevates the experience.

We began with two exceptional cocktails: “El Viejón,” Madre’s bold and aromatic take on an Old Fashioned, and “Sagina Sabe,” a tropical delight with rum, mango, and passion fruit that instantly transported us to a beach in Mexico.

The starters set the tone: • My esquite was creamy, smoky, and layered in flavor. • My wife’s Tiradito Maracuyá was refreshing and bright, perfectly balanced with the passion fruit acidity.

For the main round, we went all in: • Tacos de Suadero, Rib Eye, and Panza a la Plancha — each one a masterpiece, but the Rib Eye taco is one of the best we have ever tried. • The Enchilada de Plátano Macho was unlike anything we’ve ever tasted — sweet, savory, and comforting. • And the Aguachile Tatemado? A bold, spicy burst of coastal flavor that’s impossible to forget. we wanted it a touch spicier, so we ordered some extra serrano chile and lime.

Each dish was crafted from scratch, down to the salsas and creams — all made in-house by the talented hands of Chef Carlos @chefcapa (from Guadalajara) and Chef Sebastián (from CDMX). Every bite was Mexico — reimagined with elegance and depth.

We closed the night with two custom Carajillos made by César — one with Licor 43 and the other with a twist — both a perfect ending to an extraordinary evening.

This is not your chips-and-salsa kind of place. This is gourmet Mexican cuisine and mixology at its finest — with a team that brings heart, heritage, and hospitality to every moment.

@madre.cocina is a culinary gem in Fort Collins, and we’re grateful to have celebrated a special night with such talented and passionate people.

🌟 10/10 —...

If I could give less than one star, I just might. We went to Madre for my sister’s birthday, hoping for a fun, celebratory night out with family. I’d been there before – the first time wasn’t great, felt overpriced, but I figured I’d chalkbitbup to opening jitters. That was a mistake. While the decor is undeniably beautiful and the cocktails are solid, everything else about the experience left me feeling ripped off and frustrated.

We were a party of seven, and from the moment we sat down, the service was a rough. It took forever just to get waters. The server barely checked in, maybe every 20 minutes, leaving us waiting endlessly for drinks and food. When you’re spending nearly $500 on dinner, you expect at least basic attention. Instead, we felt like we were being ignored at every turn.

Here’s where it gets worse – we ordered guacamole and later found out we were charged extra for tostada shells to dip in it. Chips. They charged extra for chips. And guess what? It’s not even listed on the menu. I didn’t realize this sneaky charge until I was reviewing the receipt the next day. It felt like a blatant cash grab, charging for something that any reasonable restaurant includes with guac.

Even more frustrating? I specifically asked the server not to serve my elderly father (who has memory issues) any more alcohol. She nodded, agreed... and then proceeded to push drinks on him despite my clear and direct request. Made an already hard situation harder.

To top it off, I discreetly asked if they did birthday desserts – they said yes, brought something out, and only after dinner did I find out they charged us for it. I get it, nothing’s free – but the lack of transparency felt shady.

The final insult? They mischarged me at checkout and ran our cards twice.

I’m reaching out to management to hopefully get some of this resolved. I don’t write reviews like this lightly – I want places to thrive, and I’m sharing this in hopes that Madre can dial things in. Great food and beautiful decor only go so far if the overall experience leaves guests feeling undervalued. I’ll keep an eye out for improvements and would love to give them another shot down the road if things...