Lupe Tortilla ~ Texas Chain : Allen

Locations: DFW (4); Houston / College Station / Beaumont (19); Austin (5); San Antonio (3). For our NE Tarrant readers, it appears Alliance would be the closest.

HQ: Houston (founded: 1983)

Alrighty - Mr. Music is on the scoreboard for 2025! Looks like he's been visiting a chain that owns tex-mex.com. Let's see how his experiences went.

---

I went out to McKinney to meet my brother, my sister-in-law and their son's family for some disc golf. After a great, long round in the woods we were all famished! My nephew and his wife, seemingly in unison said "have you ever been to Lupe Tortilla?" "We gotta go!". They explained that their flour and corn tortillas were freshly made there and they had fantastic fajitas and lots of other Tex-Mex dishes. They had me at fresh made corn tortillas! You don't get those everywhere! I figured this must be some cool mom/pop place; my favorite! I followed them to the restaurant, which was on Central Expressway in Allen. It is in the middle of a big line of restaurants and is a big, modern building. definitely not a mom/pop hole-in-the-wall, but most likely a chain, which it turns out it is. It was nicely decorated and bustling inside! We ordered drinks and they brought chips and salsa. The salsa had a nice flavor, but not much heat to me. But I love heat! The chips were fresh, not too oily and good. Our sever asked if we'd been here before. Most of us said no and a few minutes later, a man (who said he was a chef there) brought out a platter of small (silver dollar pancake sized) tortillas each with a chunk of beef fajita on them. He explained that this was a complimentary service for 1st time visitors to show off their wonderful beef fajitas.

 
They were phenomenal! The beef was so tender and marinated to the hilt with a beautiful marinade they call lime pepper marinade. I wanted more of that! We browsed the menu, which is extensive and has many delicious looking choices. I recommend looking at the menu just to see all the interesting looking dishes. Quail, crab stuffed avocado, spicy shrimp and rice stew and lots more. The fajitas section alone was huge and offers pork, barbacoa, filet mignon, lobster, spicy chipotle ribs and more! You can buy any item by the half pound or pound. They have combo platters too. We decided on a combo platter for the table, the Grandioso. It has a mix of beef and chicken fajitas and bacon wrapped pepper shrimp. We actually got 2 since there were 6 hungry adults! The platter had lots of grilled onion and whole grilled jalapeno. The food came with all the fixings: guacamole, sour cream, grated cheese and pico de gallo. Plus we got a mix of corn and flour tortillas. Rice and beans too, which are served family style and unlimited. Everything was really good, although I thought the chicken was a bit dry. Seeing how moist the beef fajitas were, I wonder if the dry chicken was a fluke. The highlights for me were the fresh made tortillas and beef fajitas. The only issue with the corn tortillas is that they get hard once they cool, so you gotta eat them fast. This place is a bit of an upscale Mexican restaurant and the prices reflect that; they seem a little higher than other places albeit the portions are huge. 

UPDATE: Shortly after, I had the opportunity to go again. This time to the Addison location. Lady music and I met our friends, Concert Buddy and his wife, T-bird Betty. We got the complimentary beef fajita sample, which everyone loved. As a result, I got beef fajitas. Lady Music got shrimp and poblano enchiladas, which she loved. Our friends were really watching their calories and got The Original Lupe Chicken and a taco salad. The both liked their dish. They were pretty huge portions! I do want to explore more items, but will have a tough time not getting the beef fajitas!

- Mr. Music review

The RJG is now on Instagram

...only a few years too late...

You can save time on the narrative below and go here: https://www.instagram.com/regularjoesguide

There was a time when the RJG was ahead of the curve, especially when one considers that we were the single most popular restaurant blog in Dallas-Fort Worth according to Urbanspoon. Yea, Urbanspoon. Remember them? They were a blog friendly site that helped promote local restaurants via those blogs. We ended up designing this blog around that site, which took me some years to unwind. In 2015, an Indian firm called Zomato bought the site and subsequently destroyed it because they didn't take the time to understand why it was popular. They took away crowd sourcing, and everyone eventually moved to Google Reviews and Yelp. Both platforms are decidedly anti-blog. We've added reviews to Google and TripAdvisor, but it hasn't lead to much activity here. Why do I prefer the blog platform over the others? Because I can control the content and keep posts relevant. I love history and these other platforms are all "about the now". You write a review, and someone might scan over it, and that's it. Lost forever after that. We have a Facebook account too, with similar poor results.

Back to Urbanspoon. Apparently there was a lot of dirty business going on in some cities with pay to play blogs who had achieved similar status to ours in certain cities. But that never happened in DFW. All of us played fair and by the rules. The RJG ended up in first place based on pure attrition - we just had more entries, but we weren't the best writers. And we still aren't great writers, but that was never the point. It was about exposure of the restaurant itself. With that in mind, our Instagram posts will only feature independent and small chains. And ones we like and recommend. No need to accentuate negative experiences. Also no need to photo In-N-Out Burger or Del Taco. Yes, we love those places too, but we can keep our running tally here in the blog. That hopefully gets a few more viewers. We have a few loyal readers, but there was a time when each post drew four figures. Now it's a fraction of that. Mainly because we haven't built up much of a local following. Perhaps this will get us back on the map.

The thing about Instagram is the platform is designed solely for mobile phones and photographs. The latter is something we've traditionally been very poor at executing. It's a matter of discipline, but as the RJG is getting more focus now that I have some free time, I will make that effort. Rude Dante and Mr. Music are welcome to join in on the fun.

We've had success with Instagram with my music hobby. So we'll see how we do with restaurants.

So yea - Instagram

B & B Cafe ~ Castle Rock, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2025

First visit: Sometime in 1999

We are back at the B & B for the first time in two years, as the RJG had some record business to attend to in Denver. And why not stock up on a hearty breakfast before a full day of battling estate sale goers and thrift shoppers. 

It's a frigid Friday morning, sunny, and 20 degrees. Managed to park up front for the first time in my entire history of going here. No big crowds and long walks through downtown Castle Rock. Took at seat at the bar / counter and proceeded to order what I had in the initial review: Wrap It Up with bacon, eggs, potatoes, and smothered with pork green chili (you can get vegetarian if so desired). And a side of refried beans. Came out hot temperature, though the beans could have been a bit hotter (not a complaint, more of a suggestion). The beans are excellent by the way, a very unique flavor that is crave worthy. I also ordered coffee, as this time they did have flavored creamers, but you have to ask for them. You won't see them residing on the counter. As I was devouring my meal, the friendly waitress asked if I would like more chili. Heck yea! So she brought out a cup and I doused the remainder of my burrito. That was kind - and needed! Once finished, she also offered me a coffee for the road. I knew better, as I was already flying high (had a cup of strong brew earlier at home, and that's all I usually drink), plus bathroom breaks are not always convenient. It was a nice offer though.

Given my new freedom and likely more trips to Denver, B & B will now go into the RJG Rotation, something I was hesitant to do prior with non-Colorado Springs restaurants.

B & B Cafe will also usher in our new Instagram account. Let's see if we can get a social media platform to stick.

---6/22/23 notes

We were only home a couple of days from our trip to Santa Fe, when Mr. RJG needed to head up to Boulder for two days of meetings. Yippee yahoo ugh. The first meeting was only the afternoon, so we needed to fend for ourselves for breakfast or lunch. Most folks were flying in from around the country, but I had the luxury of driving up from the Springs. And what better way to start the journey than a breakfast at B & B Cafe in Castle Rock (almost exactly one year to the day of my last visit)? To be honest I was tired of Mexican breakfasts, and wanted good old fashioned American food. I sat at the bar (as noted below) and ordered a "Full Plate" with two fried eggs, a full ham steak, pancakes, and toast. And a hot chocolate. This is easily one of the best breakfasts in town. So delicious, and prepped me for the long day.

---original 6/26/22 review

Summary: Old West breakfast house. Look for the bullet holes while enjoying a smothered burrito.

When we lived in the Pinery area (1998-2003), one of our favorite "out of town" breakfast houses was B & B Cafe. We'd probably go two to three times a year, taking the journey west on Hwy 86. Back then they even had smoking, much to the chagrin of Mrs. RJG. I never cared since my dad was always blowing smoke everywhere he could, so I just got used to it growing up. Long ago. Been meaning to try B & B again since we moved back to the Springs four years ago, and that day finally happened. It was record shopping day in Denver, so a quick stop in Castle Rock often kicks off the journey. I was dining solo.

And that's a good thing, as the place was packed with a line out the door. I walked in casually and asked if they had seating for one at the counter / bar. Sure enough, one stool on the end was unoccupied. Perfect. Everything is as I remember it from 20 years ago (according to the restaurant, they've been open since 1930). Classic middle-of-small-town-America diner. There are two rooms, including the aforementioned bar. It no longer smells of cigarette, but otherwise I just transported myself back in time. Worth noting that the bar is made of marble and came from the former mining boomtown of Leadville. Same article goes on to talk about the bullet holes in the ceiling and walls. Yep, it's the Old West that's for sure. The perfect RJG place.

For this visit I ordered the Wrap It Up, which is their version of the classic smothered breakfast burrito. Comes with eggs, thick cut bacon (or you could get pork sausage if preferred), potatoes, and is smothered in a spicy pork green chili covered with yellow cheese. In a twist, it also comes with refried beans. The chili is superb, not that spicy, but with a wonderful tangy flavor. The bacon is better than average adding much needed saltiness to what can often be a bland stuffing. The beans were excellent. They're smooth, flavorful, and not lardy as we usually see. For a drink, I enquired if they had flavored creamers for the coffee. They did not, so I ordered a mocha instead. Out comes this dessert looking hot drink with whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. Good stuff. Friendly counter service as well. Great visit, I'll be back. Maybe with Mrs. RJG like old times.

1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 6/26/22 (new entry); 6/22/23; 1/24/25

B & B Cafe; Castle Rock, Colorado. Been going since 1999. Updated Jan 2025. See more at the Regular Joe's Guide.

https://regularjoesguide.blogspot.com/2022/06/b-b-cafe-castle-rock-colorado.html

In-N-Out Burger ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2025 (Interquest)

First visit: Nov 1997 (Pleasanton, CA)

HQ: Irvine, CA (founded: 1948 in Baldwin Park)

Locations: 12 in Colorado (+3) with 3 here (+1), 8 in Denver (+2) and 1 in Fort Collins. Texas has 43 (+1) with 3 in NE Tarrant, including our two former stores of Hurst and Grapevine. Otherwise California: 280 (+5); Arizona: 38 (+3); Nevada: 23; Utah: 13 (+1); Oregon: 4; Idaho: 2 (+1). New Mexico and Tennessee are still on their radar for expansion

Back at our favorite California based chain. On this Friday for lunch, Mrs. RJG joined me for the first time at our local Colorado Springs store. A slight deviation as we both opted for the Double Double meal deal with fries and a drink. Everything came out hot and fresh, and it was as good as always. Top notch friendly service. You know I really like that they wear uniforms. I don't think I've called that out before. My dad was in that business, and it was thriving in the 60s and 70s. It gives an air of cleanliness and class. In any case, Mrs. RJG and I agreed that next time she'll get one order of fries for us to split, and we'll go back to the milkshake. Heck yea! Will it be next year? Maybe, as I only visited once in 2024 and Mrs. RJG hasn't been since a year after they opened. That's just the way it is these days.

As noted below, we did plan and execute on arriving at open. Not crowded when we got there, nor after we left. It reminded me of the DFW In-N-Outs after a few years of insufferable lines. There are a multitude of reasons for this: 1) The novelty has worn off. 2) There are now three COS locations to help feed the demand (+ one in Castle Rock which isn't too far north). 3) and yes, even inflation hits here too. A "Meal Deal" at $10 bucks doesn't have the same ring to it as $5 bucks. Even at that, In-N-Out is way cheaper than the competition. As we drive by, the lines are still steady in the drive thru, sometimes packed around the corner. So it's still very popular, just not as much as prior.

---4/8/24 update

As I noted last year: "The only fast food place where you have to schedule it on your calendar or you'll miss the opportunity". And, as such, I planned to be there at open on this fine eclipse filled Monday. And that's exactly what I did. I decided to go old school and eat inside. Grabbed a stool along the edge and devoured my Double-Double with cheese and onions (no tomato), fries, and a chocolate shake. All is good as I remember, and probably always will be. I don't usually get fries, but I was hungry and they were hot and tasty. Still the cheapest grub in town, and the lines have gone back to being longer because of it. I hear they're building a 3rd Co Springs location, which should help some. Since In-N-Out are 50% the price of the competition, it's easy to understand why. BTW, I'm sure they wish they weren't based in California anymore. They're so invested in that state, they have no choice but to accept their anti-Capitalist government rules. I can imagine their lobbyist bill is quite expensive... I think they need to break up the state myself. Let the loonies in the Bay Area and Hollywood run free, and the rest can get on with their daily humdrum, but happy, lives.

---3/31/23 update

This wasn't the original plan. I was going to get an early annual review in for Slim Chickens. As I was driving there, I noticed In-N-Out had no line. I mean *zero*. That would be the first time in history I've seen that (anywhere! California, Texas, etc...). I quickly looked at my phone to see if their hours had changed (it was about 10:45) or something else had happened. Nope. By the time I actually got to the drive-thru, two vehicles were ahead of me. That's got to be a record of some sort (only two vehicles!). On a Friday no less! I actually had planned the following Monday to go here. The only fast food place where you have to schedule it on your calendar or you'll miss the opportunity. In any case, went with my usual Double Double and a vanilla shake. Drove home (again, it's very close to where we live), watched a TV show and enjoyed each bite. I tried to eat it slow but that's hard to do. Anyway - all is well and good at our local Colorado Springs outlet.

Now for some chain news: There are 2 locations here and 5 in the Denver area. I think I read they plan on opening another one here in the Springs. In our old stomping grounds, there are 2 in NE Tarrant, and 8 in the Fort Worth area overall.  Other states they operate in are California (269 - with a whopping 146 in the Los Angeles area - how's that even possible?); Texas (41); Arizona (34 with our Prescott location still there); Nevada (22); Utah (12); and Oregon (4). Overall they have 389 stores (+31 from last year). I had to type the state name in their Location Finder to get these totals if curious.

---2/13/22 update

And now - FINALLY - I was able to step into our local In-N-Out restaurant. They opened in November of 2020. I predicted the lines would subside by February, 2021. I was a year late in my prediction. This place was a madhouse for well over a year. It wasn't until they opened up the second location off of Powers that the lines finally dwindled. So on an innocuous Monday late morning, I ventured in. Ironic in that Monday's was my go-to day when I had a steady gig in Pleasanton in 1998 (see below). Ordered my usual of a double-double, fries, and a chocolate shake (instead of vanilla this time). As good as I remembered it. Which is also to state that this is not a burger to change your world. It's very good, and I won't say different, but it just isn't worth the freakage that goes with opening in a new area. Now that the novelty has worn off, I'll be able to go on a normal cadence. Even better is it's a stone's throw from where we reside, so I'll take advantage of the drive-thru going forward. As for the dining area, it is exactly like every other In-N-Out I've been to. Spacious and clean. Very white. I like the barstools around the perimeter. Perfect for solo dining.

As noted below, the chain is very guarded about expansion, and refuse to franchise. As such, they've created a cult following. Colorado is their newest state. Humorous that I mentioned In-N-Out crowding in on Texas' very own Whataburger. And guess who is coming very soon to Colorado?

---2/19/18 update (Grapevine, Texas)

As we stated in previous reviews, the beauty of In-N-Out is their limited menu. So burgers, fries, shakes, and sodas. That's about it. All at a very affordable price. Fresh ingredients define their hamburgers, the meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and buns always seem if they were bought right off the farm and served up steaming hot. Their patented dressing is a Thousand Island basically. The Double-Double is their signature burger. It's a double meat (thin patties so not overly filling), double cheese, and still the best value in town. Oh, and their fries are delicious as well. There's a reason In-N-out is extremely popular. High food quality + Low prices = Success. For liquids they have great tasting shakes, even if they are machine made. Naturally, fountain sodas and water available too.

The familiar red and yellow signage can be seen on the NE corner of 121 / 183 and Precinct Line Road. And if you go through the drive through, it's like being in a car wash, as you can see the workers cooking and assembling everyone's meal (not to mention the refreshing shade in the summer). In-N-Out has a reputation for paying their workers more and better benefits, and as such, they tend to get more squeaky clean employees than the usual fast food franchise.

---1/15/13 update (Hurst, Texas)

So after much hoopla, In-N-Out has finally arrived to NE Tarrant. I waited. I didn't cheat and go to one in Irving or Richardson. We've been featuring the restaurant long before Texas was even a gleam in their eye. We laughed at the false announcement on NBC 5 a few years ago. And on our Whataburger review, we predicted that folks from Texas were going to protect their goofy little brother and attack this "unwanted" California chain. They can take their fancy fruits' and nuts' asses outta here! And bring Del Taco with ya, you ingrates! And as sure as the sun comes up every morning, it came to pass. My goodness, how silly.  As if eating at different burger places is mutually exclusive and one cannot possibly enjoy all of the above. In-N-Out Burger knows exactly what they're doing. These folks can scream to high heavens and suggest they're not going to make it here and be out of business in mere weeks. No way guys. As someone who watched them succeed in none other than the Bay Area (a polar opposite culture to Los Angeles), I'm rather certain they'll do fine in a burger culture like DFW. In-N-Out is a Southern California type place, so for me to see lines around the building for years and years at various San Francisco area locations proves to me that folks like a good tasting burger at a great price. It's a simple pleasure. It doesn't have to be the best ever to be good. Why does everything in our culture now have to rule or suck? Where's the middle ground? We've become Bevis and Butthead in our opinions. Me? I'm just grateful they're here and I can go anytime I want. It sure beats having to wait until I travel out West!

---original 5/27/08 review (Prescott, Arizona)

In both the Editorial Chains thread and the Johnny B's blurb, I mentioned In-N-Out Burger (INOB) as a favorite place to go when traveling to the left coast.

For the Memorial Day weekend, Mrs. RJG and I visited some of her relatives in Arizona. Given that it was a family visit, the majority of our meals were centered around family cookouts, and we were treated royally at that! But we did get away for one afternoon, and settled on INOB for our lunch. Naturally it's always fun to try other places while traveling, but it wasn't in the cards for this trip. This particular visit was to their Prescott store. We also visited one in Anaheim, California about two months ago.

There's not much to add from what I've already stated in the Editorial Chains section. But I'll copy here for convenience: Regional chains are cool. They typically represent an area's culture via a unique food type, or a destination defining place. An example of the latter, and perhaps the best example of a large regional chain, is In-N-Out Burger (INOB). 

When Mr. RJG goes to California, Arizona, or Nevada on business, he makes a sincere attempt to eat at INOB at least once per visit. They are what I wish Wendy's, McDonalds, and Burger King would have become. I once worked for a company based in Pleasanton, California. Like many Bay Area suburbs, INOB was well entrenched there for many years. Yet, no matter what time I had arrived, there was a line around the building! This is an area defined by chef-driven, high-end restaurants. Where mom and pops struggle to survive, and most homes clear the million dollar mark. And yet INOB has a huge line - always. Taco Bell and Arby's do not, I assure you. Why? Because it's damn good. Only the freshest ingredients are served. The menu is perfect: You can get variations on a hamburger, soft drinks and milkshakes. That's it! The kids that work there at INOB are a blast through a time tunnel some 40 years ago. Always smiling, and fresh faced. Everybody who works there wants to work there - and there's competition for those jobs. Why? Because they pay more and will also contribute to their college education. Think you could pull that off at a public company? I don't think so! I once asked my brother-in-law, who is in the restaurant industry, why he didn't franchise a location in Denver? When they opened the first Krispy Kreme in Denver, they had to get the police out to direct traffic for nearly a month. A Krispy Kreme for crying out loud! Can you imagine an In-N-Out Burger? He'd be rich in a week. His answer came within two seconds of my question "They don't franchise". And he added that everyone wants to open an INOB, for all the reasons I just stated. It appears they are perfectly content to grow at a snail's pace, while providing an outstanding fast food experience. They are my heroes.

I had my usual Double-Double and a shake. Mrs. RJG had a cheeseburger and fries - and a shake (she's still mad at me for the idea!)

11/10/97; 7/14/98; 1/26/99; 2/23/00; 1/29/01; 3/13/02; 4/27/05; 5/27/08 (new entry); 4/5/10; 6/6/12; 1/15/13; 6/19/15; 2/19/18; 2/13/22; 3/31/23; 4/8/24; 1/17/25

Pleasanton, California; Las Vegas, Nevada;  Atascadero, California; Irvine, California; Thousand Oaks, California; Los Angeles, California; Rohnert Park, California; Prescott, Arizona, Hurst, Texas; Grapevine, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Mountain Brewery ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2025

First visit: Oct 2016

Founded: 2008

This is for the Interquest location. They have a second spot off of US-24 that we have not been to.

As noted on our RJG Rotation post: "They'll probably get a revisit anyway since they're so close." Not even 12 days into the year, and Colorado Mountain Brewery has received its first annual update - our 8th straight since moving back to the area (not counting 2020, a year that needs to be forgotten). We were hosting one of our Official Nephews, who came in from Denver just to visit. So that was a nice change of pace. He's 23 and just about to embark on his first major corporate job. Just as Uncle RJG retired the same week. Exciting times for everyone. We all each had one beer (and I snuck in a desert beer afterward) along with chips and salsa (excellent garlicky salsa). We were also all in the mood for a burger. Mrs. RJG and I did exactly what we did last year and had the Pikes Peak Burger sans tomato but with green chiles. Nephew had the Mt. Princeton which comes with bacon. Excellent across the board. We came for a late lunch, and the Broncos were being pummeled by the Bills, not unexpected. A good year for Denver, a team I rarely root for, but I like this version. Better than my old hometown team, the Cowboys. Ugh. In any case, people were leaving disappointed, but the restaurant still maintained a positive vibe. And the service was excellent. It's a splurge meal, but worth it. Stays out of the rotation, but I bet we find ourselves back here in 2026 for our 9th straight year.

---7/14/24 update

Mrs. RJG and I had a family emergency to attend to yesterday, and so our dinner was delayed until the evening. Once all was settled, we decided to dine at Colorado Mountain Brewery since we hadn't been this year. And it's close to our house as we were getting tired too. It's been ages since we went to dinner at 8:00, especially on a Saturday night. In the old days, you wouldn't be able to get into a place like this. But even today, we had a 20 minute wait. Primarily because, as noted below, this is really a tourist restaurant and there are many hotels within walking distance, or a short 5 minute drive. And it's the height of tourist season, and many folks are loading up their credit cards, and they'll figure out how to pay for it later.

We don't like to wait but our options were slim so we did. And then we had to wait another 10 minutes to get our beer. Ah, but did it taste good! I was desperate at that point lol. We tried their seasonal July beer of Honey Lavender Ale. For dinner we each had the Pikes Peak Burger substituting diced green chiles rather than the tomato - both cooked well done. With fries. It's the basics, but they do it very well. At a high price, nothing new there. Colorado Mountain Brewery remains a good option if you're in the far north part of the Springs.

---5/11/23 update

As luck would have it, the FNABQ's were back in town. See the La Casa Fiesta review for more about them and our relationship. Not the best timing as it was the next day after our long trip. I was afraid I'd fall asleep in the plate... nose down...

But fortunately I hung in there. On this visit I went with the BYOB (sigh - how I miss that one aspect of Texas dining). Of course this BYOB means "Build Your Own Burger". I ordered well done meat, green chiles, and bacon. With chips on the side. Mrs. RJG thought that sounded great - so make it two! Not sure what our guests had, but I was a bit out of it. Mrs. RJG loved the burger - best she's had in awhile. I thought it was great too. Had a couple of beers to wash it down with. We had a great time, and this pushes forward Colorado Mountain's timeline. What are we going to do around Christmas? lol

---12/26/22 update

In what is looking like the makings of an annual tradition, the RJG's went to Colorado Mountain Brewery sometime during the Christmas season to get in our annual review. Though Colorado Mountain is technically the closest brewery to our house, I don't consider it our "local brewery" (that would be Black Forest at the current time followed by Pikes Peak). As noted below, this is mostly for tourists new to Colorado, and their peculiar ways of eating and drinking. For these characteristics they are great! On this visit I wanted to try the pizza. They have limited ingredients, so I just went with a 7" pepperoni. Good sauce and cheese - so they get kudos for that (pepperoni is pepperoni - unimaginative). But the crust was lame and not crisped at all. Thank goodness Mrs. RJG didn't try it. So a mixed result. I also had a cup of the bison chili which was delicious. As good as the Ted's Montana version that I recently raved about. I should get a bowl next time. Mrs. RJG went with the Pikes Peak burger like last year (no green chiles this time). And once again they cooked it perfectly. She's saying it's her #2 favorite burger behind Brass Tap. So it's good to see some competition brewing in her mind - so to speak. See you next Christmas season, Colorado Mountain.

---12/23/21 update

Looks like we're able to sneak in at least one more annual review. It's been since March of 2019 that we last stepped foot into the Colorado Mountain Brewery. Nothing has really changed - same large space with beautiful views. The surrounding area, however, is growing like crazy. Mrs. RJG and I each had the Pikes Peak Burger and substituted tomatoes with green chiles, though the latter didn't really bring much heat or flavor. But the burger was delicious all the same, along with the fries dipped in a chipotle ranch dressing. And we each enjoyed one beer to celebrate the oncoming holidays.

---original 12/16/18 review

Colorado Mountain Brewery may be many folks very first experience with a brewpub, and it's a great choice if that's the case. Perfectly situated along I-25 right across from the Air Force Academy, Colorado Mountain Brewery offers excellent views along with great beers and an advanced pub menu. Yes, they have the usual burgers but also pastas and steaks, along with other inventive dishes. The RJG gives a thumbs up to both the pastas and hamburgers. The restaurant is large with a woodsy feel. A great place to take guests. Or if visiting as a tourist, you will definitely feel more comfortable - especially compared to some of the down and out breweries in the area (which the RJG loves too - perhaps even prefers). We first visited here as tourists ourselves, during one of our biannual trips to the area.

10/9/16; 12/16/18 (new entry); 3/2/19; 12/23/21; 12/26/22; 5/11/23; 7/13/24; 1/12/25

El Super Taco ~ Colorado chain : Colorado Springs

First visit: Jan 2025 (S. Academy @ Hancock)

Locations: Colorado Springs (2); Fountain; Pueblo; Pueblo West; Alamosa; Raton-NM (dba Alfonso's)

And the RJG notches the first new-to-us restaurant for 2025! I've been circling El Super Taco for many years, but just never got around to trying them. This particular location sits in the same parking lot as a thrift store I often frequent. So on this very cold but sunny Friday at lunch, I made my first visit, as I was already down this way. I believe this to be their debut restaurant and it looks to be an old Taco Bell that they repurposed to good use. 

Walk in and order at the counter (they have a popular drive through as well). I asked for a pollo asado taco, even though it wasn't on the menu. I passed on the sour cream, and substituted cheese. I also grabbed a ground beef taco sans tomato. Paid up with a credit card and they ask for the unearned tip, which they didn't get. No matter, as the ladies at the counter were very nice and professional. Then they proceeded to cook my meal to order.

A few minutes later out came my sizzling chicken taco and a wrapped ground beef taco. The pollo comes in a high grade double corn tortilla. The meat was hot and very flavorful. I tried three of their four salsas: Mild (red), Hot, and Extra Hot. They also have a mild green. The red mild is delicious, thick with ground chilis. Not spicy of course, but flavorful. Perfect texture. The hot was just slightly less textured but no less delicious. And it packed a nice punch. The extra hot, however, was too thin and it was hard to discern the flavor. The heat level was indeed the hottest, but it was my least favorite of the three.

After that, I dug into the ground beef taco. Nice crispy shell. I would have preferred a bit more spice in the meat, but it wasn't bland. The taste was more subtle. Next time I'll try for the carne asada (without pico and guac).

Overall a very pleasant first experience. We also have our first new entry from 2025 into the RJG rotation!

El Super Taco's expansion has been strictly to the south and southwest, and their market is geared towards the Hispanic population. Even though they do sport one locale in New Mexico (under a different name), I'll just leave it as a Colorado entity for now.

1/10/25 (new entry)

Leon Gessi Pizza ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2025

First visit: Feb 1995

Founded: 1974

Leon Gessi is getting an early revisit for 2025. Just like last year's update, I was in the area near lunch time, and a couple of slices sounded good. Since the sandwich didn't work out last time, I decided to go back to their pizza. For this visit I had a slice of meatball and another sausage. The ingredients weren't anything special, and they still don't use enough sauce. As for the crust, I had the opposite experience of the past - this time it was too chewy (though fortunately not doughy), but it was hot temperature at least. Seems like the slices were a little smaller too? I don't want to say they've gone downhill, it doesn't feel that way at all. But they are a bit inconsistent. I'm leaving it in the RJG Rotation, and I'm sure I'll get in at least one more visit this year. On the plus side their soda drink machine works perfectly. On the downside, they ask for an unearned tip for taking your order at the counter.

---5/19/24 update

I happened to be in this part of the Springs on Thursday, and Leon Gessi offers an early lunch. It's about 10:30, time for an annual update. I've been once each of the last three years and one visit that goes back to my first tour here in the Springs. I was determined to try one of their baked subs and went forward with the meatball sub. The experience was like the below in terms of ordering, etc... Grabbed my table and waited. A few minutes later out comes the sub. Hmmm... Not quite as hot as I expected, though certainly hot enough for most I would suspect. I'm looking for bubbling mozzarella cheese, preferably charred. I wanted the bread to be more crispy. They cheated on the meatballs. I expected full homemade meatballs. What I got was meatball pizza toppings thrown inside of the bread. So no, that's not going to work. It wasn't bad of course, just not what I would want from a quality baked sub. It tasted exactly like it reads - a meatball pizza inside a sub. On the plus side they gave me a side of their sauce to douse it in. That did come out hot and it's very flavorful. I'll stick with pizza next time. Leon Gessi remains in the rotation.

---3/19/23 update

It's been exactly a full year since I last stopped by Leon Gessi, with the below review representing my last. Seems I'm in a pizza mood lately with Parry's and Walter's303 also getting some focus. As with the last visit, the slices were a bit stiff - seems a bit overdone in the oven. Though Mrs. RJG would like it this way! And because they may have been reheated one too many times, the sauce seems cooked out. On this visit I had one sausage and one meatball, and the toppings were generous. Maybe not the best pizza in town, but certainly worthy of an occasional visit. Seems if I order a full pizza, it might be better. Also eyeing their baked subs. For next time.

---original 3/19/22 review

Based on the dates above, you might think we've been long time regulars to Leon Gessi. But nope - this was only my second visit. The first was when my Old Man came into town during my first residence here in the Springs. I recall little about the experience. But I did recognize the building. It's a classic RJG styled old fashioned hole in the wall. Apparently they've been in business since 1974, and I would guess at this location. When you walk in, it looks like a Baltimore shotgun styled place. There's tables that line the window, and you order up at the counter. They give you a number and that's because there's ample more seating in the spacious back room through the hallway (again, recalling Baltimore) and there's also plenty of benches to enjoy outside. I ordered two slices - one plain cheese, the other with sliced Italian meatball. Both came out crispy and piping hot. The crust should probably have been a bit more pliable, and I never seem to get enough sauce, so it was a tad dry. I could see that changing visit to visit. Certainly a place worth adding to the annual repertoire, and probably more than that. We'll be back sooner than 27 years at the very least - we hope.

1/28/95; 3/19/22 (new entry); 3/19/23; 5/16/24; 1/3/25

Taste of Philly ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Dec 2024 (South Academy)

First visit: Aug 2011 (Denver: S. Colorado Blvd.)

Locations: 23 total (+4 from last year); 7 in the Colorado Springs area (+1); 11 in the Denver metro area (+1), and 1 each in Loveland, Greeley, and Fort Collins. They also expanded out of Colorado to Tempe-AZ and Fargo-ND (coming soon). One of the few chains that is actually growing!

Happy New Year everyone! We enter our 18th year of the RJG! Hard to believe. And now we have our first entry of the year. It's a bit of a cheat, since technically I went two weeks ago, but close enough to get us started for 2025. I happened to be thrifting down south, so I went to our original Colorado Springs location versus the one closer to our house (Voyager). They've made some changes since I was last here a couple of years back. Gone is full service and you now order at the counter, like you do at our local store. It makes way more sense for a place like this. And they've opened a bar area. That's a bit odd, but maybe there was some demand for it. The taps are macro only, so I can't see craft beer lovers heading here. As for the sandwich, I went back to my standard Green Chile Philly, and it was excellent as always. Chewy bread, super hot temperature, slightly more spicy than usual, excellent meat. Taste of Philly remains in the RJG Rotation as we detailed a month ago. Going forward I will add that designation to the labels on your right.

---3/29/24 update

Back for our first visit of 2024, though I did sneak in a few extra ones last year given their proximity to Casa RJG. On this visit I was feeling traditional and got a philly cheese "wit wiz" as they call it. Which is backwards, as it should be "wiz wit" in Philadelphia jargon. I told them that once and was met with a blank stare. OK then, moving on. They asked if I also wanted white cheese with it and I said sure (75 cents that move cost me). I was also starving and went for the full footlong versus the usual 9 inch. Grabbed the sack to go, and unraveled the sandwich while watching a TV show (The Regime on HBO for those interested) during my lunch break from work. I supplied my own drink (Coke Zero). The size of the sandwich allowed me to pass on chips. Everything was perfect as noted below. Hot temperature, chewy bread, flavorful diced meat, gooey cheese. As reliable as they come in this day and age. We'll keep coming back.

---4/20/23 update

Alrighty finally back to our favorite Philly Cheesesteak place. But why the wait? Ah... well, they just opened across the street from us! In the same shopping center as Zapata and Zesty Thai. And what that means is more visits from the RJG. They had a soft open earlier in the year but had to shutdown temporarily due to some fire code issues. Those have been all fixed up, and we're good to go. We'd been to this exact address before, since it hosted a pizza place called Duca's. The chain still exists but in another location in Colorado Springs. I want to try again, but we didn't enjoy the one outing here (and it's not in the RJG). In any event, they reorganized the space quite well. 

Mrs. RJG joined me on this venture, continuing our win theme on experiences. Right from the get, I was happy to see they have this setup as an order at the counter versus a full serve restaurant, like the South Academy location below. This kind of food calls for quick service, even if the other wasn't slow by any means. We each ordered the Green Chile Philly. I haven't gone enough to explore the menu, but that's going to change this year I think. Wow - this is really great! Everything is better here than at the other location we used to frequent - and we loved that one too! The meat was piled high, the fries were crispy and flavorful, and the bread was both crispy and chewy, just as a good Philly calls for. Even the soda fountain drink mix was great. A+ from us. If you live far north like us, this a must stop. Go here.

Contrary to my original post, they do now seem more like a consolidated chain.

---3/25/22 update

For some reason I forgot to update this for its annual review that occurred two months ago. Well as you can see, it passed with flying colors. And while service has been a problem at so many restaurants, I had no such issues on this visit. The highest standards were met. This remains our favorite Philly cheesesteak spot in the Springs.

Taste of Philly has 4 locations in Colorado Springs and 11 others in the Denver / Fort Collins / Greeley metro areas.

---original 2/15/20 review

Over the years the RJG has covered many Philly cheesesteak places, including being a constant booster in the DFW area of places like Billadelphia's and Fred's Downtown Philly. Our first experience with Philly cheesesteaks goes back to Philadelphia itself, with business trips starting in 1999. But I have to say the best of them all is right here at Taste of Philly in Colorado Springs. Or to be more specific, this location on South Academy is our favorite. And I have to admit to veering away from Philly standards such as "Wiz Wit", though I've had that here as well. The two things that Taste of Philly always gets right - toasty but chewy bread (this is key) and sizzling hot chopped beef with grilled onions blended in (not oily and plopped on top nasty style). We've taken it even further and love their Green Chile cheesesteak - that's Colorado for you! And recently I even tried their pizza cheesesteak with some wonderful gooey provolone cheese and a piquant tomato sauce. It's sit down service or you can order at the counter to-go. One of the first post-lockdown places we visited that seemed comfortable to eat inside (i.e. no "leper table" feeling).

Taste of Philly is one of those disparate chains that doesn't share ownership and are loosely branded together. This is important to note as our first experience with Taste of Philly goes to Denver, which shares the name but not necessarily the same quality. Though we were always pleased there as well (south Colorado Blvd location - which is the original and still there). But for our pesos, we prefer this location (even though it's not even close to our cow pasture). In addition there's an ARC thrift store next door, so there's that incentive as well...

8/21/11; 2/15/20 (new entry); 1/30/21; 3/25/22; 4/20/23; 3/29/24; 12/9/24