Blue Bonnet Cafe and Lounge

Warned by a friend that the food at The Blue Bonnet was a joke, off we went to this former landmark anyway. The food was amusing, but the house margarita was hilarious. If this is a Margarita, then I?m the the King of Pop. The drink was a massacre, Sand Creek on the Platte. I thought I?d stumbled into Tony?s Meats by accident, given the butcher job here. I mean, it was OFFAL! If there were a margarita board of ethics, Blue Bonnet would be subpoenaed daily. No Nectar of the Gods here; this green swill tasted more like the Antichrist, straight out of Linda Blair?s mouth. (Sorry). My point is, though: This really ISN?T a margarita, by definition. NOT EVEN CLOSE!! FACT: Margarita, invented in 1948 in Acapulco by Margarita Sames. Mixed to order; 1) a generous portion of fine white tequila, (50%), 2) a splash of fresh lime (25%), 3) a float of Couintreau (25%). Obviously, some subtle variations have evolved; i.e., substituting Grand Marnier or triple sec for Couintreau (still orange liqueurs), maybe a splash of fresh orange or lemon juice, or using a darker tequila, all good. Now when you throw in gender and sexual-orientation issues, (not that there?s anything wrong with that) you get out of my realm of interest. But if you do ask for a fruity drink, that?s what you should get. And if you order a real margarita, THAT?S what you should get. So what did I get? I guarantee you there was no fresh juice in there, probably industrial sour mix concentrate instead. Nor any liqueur even resembling Couintreau, more likely sugar, MAYBE orange zest. Hopefully they sprinkle in a little tequila although I really couldn?t taste it. $CHA-CHING, BABY$. If you want to get technical, and I do, what we have here tastes more like a tequila sour or a cheap tequila daiquiri than a margarita. IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DUCK AND IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK, THEN IT?S A DUCK! I couldn?t get away with this kind of deception in my business for a minute, let alone decades. Unfortunately, we?ll never really know for sure, because at the Bonnet, you can?t watch the bartender mix your house margarita from scratch like in a professional restaurant. Here, THEY JUST SHOOT THIS CRUD OUT OF A HOSE, LIKE DOWN ON SOME FEED LOT IN FORT MORGAN! Makes you feel special. Ok, so WHERE does this stuff come from, then, since it?s not hand-mixed to order behind a bar? Is it delivered in tanks from companies like Coca-Cola or Seagram?s? Or do they cook it up in some clandestine lab somewhere, like meth? Maybe a big, tattooed guy named Tiny with black engineering boots, a bad case of dandruff, no hairnet, and a penchant for revenge on the public. Who knows? Why the hell doesn?t this place just get it over with and run a couple of troughs out through the dining room. One for the amusing slop, the other for the hilarious swill. That way, the hapless cattle that graze on this fraudulent stuff could just line up and load up. Easier for all concerned. Truth is, though, this kind of mediocre B.S. really needs to fade into the sunset and find its eternal resting place down in the tar pits. And while we?re at it, can I toss in our dinosaur of a waitress here? Talk about hostile body language. I was SURE this old battle-ax was going to attack me bad even BEFORE I started to open my mouth to joke about the $1.50 charge for the salsa. Guess she?s heard it all before..... No crime here, though. The place gets away with murder every day. Just ask my ?margarita?. Pros: I didn't meet any here. Cons: Talked to plenty of them. more

Quite honestly, I have absolutely no clue how this place stays in business or how it manages to get good reviews in the newspaper! I have been there a total of three times over the years, primarily because other people wanted to go there. The first time I went there, I found it to be marginal, nothing special. The other times were poor. The food is obviously not made to order and it reheated by microwave. The last time I went was decidedly the worst. The service is awful, the drinks are not made to order. Save your money. Do not eat dinner here. Pros: ZERO! Cons: Awful food,margaritas, service. more

Kudos to this one-time Tex-Mex bastion and now aspiring gay mecca for offering gluten free Mexican fare.... more

Kudos to this one-time Tex-Mex bastion and now aspiring gay mecca for offering gluten free Mexican fare. While certainly not the tastiest meal I've... more

My office used to be near Blue Bonnet, so we would reluctantly go there on occasion. The food's not great; it's cheap Mexican food (I use the term loosely - nowhere close to authentic). You have to guess the kitchen is mainly equipped with microwaves and can openers. However, it has a convenient location, and a fun atmosphere. more

Very mediocre, which is unfortunate because its right in my new neighborhood and I consume alot of mexican food and drink. Industrial style food and beverage prep makes for a disappointing product which grows old quickly, both literally and figuratively. ( Seriously, margaritas on tap? ) Theres nothing better than a freshly mixed margarita, and sadly, The Blue Bonnet mass produces theirs, and the taste reflects that fact. The service was ok. I ate at the bar and noticed the customers that the bartenders seemed to be familiar with (regulars, I guess) got much better treatment than the average Joe, with complimentary drinks and chips, etc. I'd hang out more if the food and drink were any good, although the atmosphere, which seemed fun at first, also grew old fast with all the young children running around. No thanks.Way overpriced as well. Pros: Colorful atmosphere, good for kids Cons: mass-produced product, uncomfortable atmosphere for adults more

This restaurant is a nice place to go for a large gathering of people. The place is really loud and thus doesn't work for a nicer dinner. The food was great but the service was very average. The margaritas are good, but certainly don't compare to many other places. Overall, a good place for a quick, casual meal, but I would plan somewhere else if you are looking for something nicer. more

Both of my experiences at the Blue Bonnet Cafe were really bad. This place is a chamber of culinary horrors. The salsa is runny, the chips are stale, the piles of half-melted yellow cheese left me bloated and uncomfortable, the green chile is red and runny, with fatty and gristly pork remnants, not lean like other places in the neighborhood. The margaritas were watery and bland. It's almost like W and Cheney were cooking the food and Condie was behind the bar, mixing the margs. It's that bad. Yechh.... Pros: Parking Cons: Food, margaritas more

If you're looking for a gourmet mexican restaurant...go somewhere else. But if you're looking for great margaritas, food, service, and a place to eat without spend an arm and a leg, go here! Someone on this site complained that the bartenders don't use triple sec in their margaritas...who cares! Their margs are good, potent, and...wait, do you really need anything else? The bar and wait staff are the friendliest around...very social and make you feel welcome. The food comes out quickly and no, it's not gourmet, but you wouldn't expect that here. It's great food in a casual, welcoming atmosphere. That's that! A local diamond in the rough, I chalk it up to one of the better mexican restaurants in SW Denver. And no, I don't work for the restaurant....I'm just a fan :) Pros: Ambience, service, drinks, food, price Cons: parking, often crowded more

I got dragged back in here recently. This joint?s been around for awhile but then, so have I. Although I no longer patronize the place, I remember the days when they?d use turkey in the chicken items to make a few extra pennies. Not too long ago, actually. Quite a long and storied history of nickel and diming. They charge for chips and salsa. And unless things have changed recently, this is the only bar/ restaurant, Mexican or otherwise, that I?ve EVER been to or even heard of ANYWHERE that doesn?t use triple sec or a similar liqueur in their margaritas. So technically, unless you special order, THE BLUE BONNET DOESN?T EVEN SERVE MARGARITAS. WITHOUT TRIPLE SEC, IT?S CALLED A TEQUILA SOUR. That?s some serious chutzpah. I imagine they?ve netted quite a haul on this caper over the decades. We?re not talking about nickels and dimes, either. Do the math. I used to think it was kind of funny, part of the show. No mas. Too expensive these days for this kind of stuff. Really burns me up. Now I see they offer gluten- free items. Gluten-free? In a Mexican restaurant? Gimme a break. I have never seen one gluten-free item anywhere in Mexico. If health food is the objective, look elsewhere, my friend, because it ain?t happening here. Talk about trying to starve a dead horse. Besides the sheer volume of grease in the food, there are probably enough preservatives in one pre-made batch of Blue Bonnet tequila sour/margaritas to give King Tut a little rise. One or two gluten-free tortillas isn?t going to offset that. Just look at the ingredients that any cheap, wholesale sweet and sour mix contains. Bend over, Denver and get out the KY jelly. Order up another $8.90 tequila sour, and enjoy the ride. I?m talkin? about service with a smile. If the shaft is what you?re looking for, this establishment will be happy to give it to you. They?ve been doing it for decades, but now you can get it gluten-free. PULL-EASE!!! Pros: not too crowded anymore Cons: nickel and dime shenanigans more

For us, it was just another medicore Mexican restaurant. It was an overcrowded restaurant with good service and food that was ordinary. You can get the same food at any chain mexican restaurant in Denver. The price is comparable to other mexican restaurants so don't travel downtown just for this one. more

Used to be really good back in the early 90's. Still pretty good but their service and wait time could be better. more

The old marketing adage states ?You don?t sell the steak, you sell the sizzle.? Well said for many types of businesses, but unfortunately for the Blue Bonnet Cafe, restaurants actually do sell the steak. This place reminds me of a Denny?s menu; where the pictures of the food look great but the actual product is another story altogether. After eating at the Blue Bonnet several times over many years, I?ve finally realized one thing. It just isn?t any good. The menu is extensive and everything sounds great, but the food tastes as if it was prepared in bulk earlier and reheated, cooled, reheated etc. as needed. It tastes stale. Even the margaritas taste like they have been sitting around for awhile before they are served, apparently out of a tank somewhere in the building and pumped through a hose to the bar, and then finally shot out of a gun or something. Quite a journey. If they had saved a little of the energy it must have taken to develop the elaborate menus and drink lists and put it into actually serving a fresh, consistent product, this place might be worth another shot. I prefer eateries that may only offer a limited number of items, but they do those items consistently well, and concentrate on freshness. Blue Bonnet seems to want to do way too many things, and puts quality on the back burner. It?s just not worth that bloated uncomfortable feeling you leave with after ingesting all that yellow cheese and recycled steam-table grease. Thanks anyway. Pros: alot of sizzle Cons: no steak more

A friend of mine & I stopped in for lunch today. Our water came quick, our chips & salsa soon after & then our drinks. I wasn't into having alcohol today, so I sampled a strawberry limeade. It tasted kinda funky, not bad, just not good. The busser came by and filled our salsa dishes and continued to top off our waters before they had a chance to go empty. That was a bonus! At most Mexican restaurants I've eaten at it is difficult to get a refill on chips & salsa and sometimes even harder to get water refills. Nice job Blue Bonnet! Now, for our lunch. It was tasty although a little tough as if it sat under a heat lamp for a little while before coming out. I had a chile relleno & a cheese enchilada. It was a 3 star meal. Not the best I've ever had, but not the worst either. I have eaten at this establishment a couple times before this and usually get the same experience. Not a bad choice if you're in the area and Blue Bonnet's location is a matter of convenience. But, if you're trying to pick the best Mexican food in Denver, this isn't it. Pros: Great service! Quick, friendly & our water & salsa never went empty Cons: Average food. Nothing spectacular. It wasn't bad, just not anything to rave about. more

The food was average. The ambiance was average. I had heard so many good things about this place that I tried it with a friend as my husband said I wouldn't like it. It looks much better from the outside than it is on the inside. I suppose it's an old neighborhood hangout. Nothing special in my book .... but always worth a try. more

Love, love, love this place! We have been going to the Blue Bonnet for 20 years (a short amount of time in the history of this restaurant!)\r The Blue Bonnet has survived many ups and downs of this neighborhood over the years and continues to thrive and impress! From the old building to the "newer" building, character abounds. The food is consistently great, the margharitas even better! Great prices and friendly service. Enjoy! more

My margarita was not so good and when I noticed the bartender was squirting them out of a soda gun like a soft drink, I just about s%@t! You could throw a monkey back there to do that. Plus, who knows when or where these margaritas were actually made and by whom; or what was (or wasn?t) in that drink. I wonder if anyone ever even bothers to ask. Talk about a compromised, if not potentially adulterated product. What a crock of hooey! For the prices this place charges and the level of quality they claim, they should be hand-crafting their cocktails up-front like a real restaurant, especially their signature item. Everyone I?ve mentioned this to agrees. VERY MINOR LEAGUE!!! I can?t comment on the food because I decided not to eat. I figured if a Mexican restaurant won?t even mix a margarita to order, who knows what shortcuts are going on in the food prep department. Caveat emptor. Pros: Can't think of any Cons: minor league more

One more Denver taco-slinging cash cow that specializes in seperating newly transpanted yuppies from their hard earned fun tickets. Mediocre at best. Bring the Rolaids and for some extra fun on the way home, don't turn on your headlights and drive on the wrong side of the road. Welcome to the Queen City of The Plains. Have a real cool experience. more

I love going here, they have the best Chili Rellenos in town!!! The nice crispy ones, not the soggy tasteless ones you find in a lot of places. I love their salsa and chips that everyone gets to start the meals!!! And they also make a mean Strawberry Daqueri more

I used to frequent this place when i lived in the neighborhood. Being back in Denver recently, I stopped in for a little nostalgia. What a mistake! What I remember as being a fun, cheap neighborhood joint has somehow evolved into a gay Chile's or Chevy's, complete with the obligatory tootie-fruitty drink lists and prices to match. The food hasn't improved and the decor is downright strange. The service used to be friendly and personal, but I didn't see that this time. Another one bites the dust. Pros: Parking Cons: Just about everything else more