Local Mexican Chain Opens First Denver Location in Capitol Hill

Tacos have returned to 215 East Seventh Avenue with the opening of a new location of Boulder-born chain Wapo’s Cantina.

In 2018, the Capitol Hill space became an outpost of Tacos Tequila Whiskey, the once-growing brand from restaurateur Kevin Morrison, which now has just one remaining location in LoHi. The Seventh Avenue spot made it through the pandemic and was briefly rebranded as Taco Bar before shuttering in early 2022. That May, another taco joint, Wild Taco, moved in; it shut its doors this past August. (Wild Taco’s Berkeley location remains, though, and it recently opened a stall at Edgewater Public Market.)

Will the third taco time be the charm for this address? That’s what Wapo’s Cantina owners Juan and Adriana Gonzalez are hoping. The couple founded the business in Boulder fifteen years ago, adding locations in Arvada, Westminster, Erie and Thornton. Now, their concept has landed in Denver for the first time, and they’ve not stopping with the Capitol Hill outpost, which is next to Alloy Thai Eatery.

Soon, a Wapo’s Cantina will open at 3838 Tennyson Street in Berkeley, where diner Wendell’s recently shut its doors. After that, Wapo’s is taking on the space at 3495 South Broadway where Mexican favorite El Tepehaun was operating when it shuttered in 2023 after 45 years in business.

Both the new Capitol Hill Wapo’s Cantina and the upcoming Berkeley location boast patio seating, and all the Denver metro locations will serve the same menu as the brand’s other outposts. The lineup includes pretty standard fare for a casual Mexican joint, including breakfast options, combos, burritos and tacos, which come in orders of four for around $15.

That’s around $3.75 each — not a bad deal, though if you’re hungry for even cheaper tacos, check our list of the best Taco Tuesday deals.

For more information about Wapo’s Cantina, visit waposcantina.com.