Santiago's Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Fort Lupton

Every time I go to this restaurant I order my food without lettuce. It's not because I dislike lettuce but because I get violently ill eating it. I usually order 2-3 hard shell beef tacos and every time they put more lettuce (3x) than meat even when I ask for no lettuce. Just went through and ordered 2 tacos no lettuce. One had no meat, all lettuce and maybe a bit or two of tomatoes and no cheese. The second taco had maybe 1 teaspoon of meat and the rest lettuce. The beef that was on it was grease (hardened lard) and smelt a few hours old. I did not eat any of it because even a few enzymes from the lettuce will send me straight to the ER. In the past I have mentioned it to the manager/owner in the past and they didn't seem to understand why I couldn't just separate the lettuce out myself. Apparently they don't think a person can have a allergic reaction to lettuce or any enzymes that might sweat out of the lettuce on to the other food. I personally don't think any of them have the medical training to make that decision. I will warn anyone not to go to this restaurant between 1pm and 3pm. The food seems not to be cooked fresh but rather leftovers from the lunch rush. I rarely go there anymore but every once in awhile I will but the same low quality of service and food happens. The beef has a weird taste and texture to it. It is kind of a yellowish-grey or pale grey color to it. It tastes like it was cooked in old rancid grease or the meat is spoiled. This restaurant when it first started out decades ago was fantastic but after the original owners stopped overseeing the daily operations it has gone down slowly in quality. I go there because I support the local restaurants in the city but it looks like I won't anymore. What's the point of paying money for something you have to throw away? They have just got the last money I will ever...

I’ve eaten food from this restaurant several times. I’ve had their enchilada platter, which is pretty good. But then again, I’m probably biased since enchiladas are my favorite food. I’ve had their Indian Taco, it’s OK but nothing to write home about. A little on the bland side, to be honest. I’ve had their smothered burritos, they’re pretty good. Their breakfast burritos are good, but to be honest, I’ve definitely had better. And they’re definitely not as good as everyone hypes them up to be.

Now for my biggest gripe about this place: the ground beef that they use in their hard-shell tacos is absolutely atrocious. Now keep in mind, this only applies to GROUND BEEF and not the other meat they serve. All of their other meats are very good. However, I don’t know whether or not they put any kind of seasoning in their ground beef but if they do, you definitely can’t tell. It’s completely bland and tasteless. No flavor whatsoever. As a result, their hardshell ground beef tacos are gross. Honestly, when I cook ground beef at home, even without adding any sort of seasoning, it still has more flavor and tastes better than the ground beef they serve at this Santiago‘s. Seriously, and I swear I am NOT exaggerating, it tastes like it’s been rinsed with water after it’s cooked and then served to their customers.

I can’t believe how popular this restaurant is, considering how bland/gross one of their most important key ingredients is. I’ve never tried the food at any of the other Santiago’s locations besides the one in Fort Lupton, but if the ground beef at the other locations tastes the same as this store, then I don’t know how on earth this restaurant got to...

Once again bad service. I hate to complain but this will be the last time I'm burned. A week ago i bought 2 breakfast burritos with chicharrones as unnatural but the last 4 times the may have been 2 to 3 pieces of chicharrones in there even though you have to pay extra they badly skimp on them. Well this last time I asked for extra chicharrones and got none at all! Yet paid extra for them! Was on my way to work so I can't just turn around every time and go back. If it was done intentionally or by mistake it's simply bad business! Can't be mistake that many times in a row to get skimpy then get home at all but pay the price anyway. Really is too bad since they were my favorite. But the green chili is getting bland as well. Oh well time for a new favorite! I won't get ripped off again. Happened both brighton and Fort Lupton locations. Tried the newer drive through location and they actually gave me a bunch of chicharrones. I won't...