Eat Up Havana: El Tequileño Family Mexican Restaurant Stands the Test of Time

Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we're turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.

The four-plus mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find a place that will remind them of home or open new culinary doors. In Eat Up Havana, Westword contributor Antony Bruno will visit them all, one by one, week by week.

Previous stops:

• Old Town Hot Pot
• Leezakaya
• Chutney Indian Cuisine

Next up: El Tequileño Family Mexican Restaurant.
Twenty-two years ago, Rodrigo Sanchez opened the first El Tequileño Family Mexican Restaurant in Arvada with just fourteen employees.

Today, he owns four, including one on Aurora’s Havana Street which opened in 2006. This May, a fifth is expected to open in Westminster.

Which begs the question: With both fine dining establishments and humble family run spots alike closing up shop amid a challenging business environment recently, what’s the secret to Sanchez’s success?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that twelve of his original fourteen employees still work for the company. And of the more than 150 employees he has today, more than fifty have been with him for a decade or longer.

“Our secret is to treat our employees like family because if you treat the employees good, they’ll take care of the business,” Sanchez says.

Sure, that’s probably a big part of it. But there’s got to be more to it than that. Perhaps it’s as simple as just serving good food that people want in a welcoming environment. Or maybe it’s just lots and lots of tequila shots.

Inside El Tequileño

When you first walk into El Tequileño on Havana Street, it’s like jumping into a beautifully painted street mural.

Every booth is colorfully painted with a variety of different scenes — toucans on a tree with parrots and other tropical birds; a worker tilling a field next to his cart and donkey; a horseman lassoing a bull. Tables are painted with a young man courting his lover, or a family dancing.

It’s colorful, vibrant, and fun. And on Friday nights, it’s even more so thanks to a sixteen piece Mariachi band busting out a seemingly endless repertoire of ballads, polkas, marches and more.

Which makes the six big-screen TVs spaced along the walls a bit of a distraction. But hey…it’s a sports bar too.

What you're eating

El Tequileño’s menu is a serious affair. Eight pages, two sides, with very large photos. Opening it against the backdrop of this colorful space is like a sensory overload. It can quickly overwhelm.

Yes, you can find all your standard Colorado Mexican fare. Fajitas? Check. Tacos? Of course. Burritos? Choose from over 25 different options. Not to mention other staples like pozole, enchiladas, tostadas, quesabirria and more.

But the most popular dish, and the one Sanchez seems most proud of, is the pork carnitas, the signature dish of his hometown of Michoacán, Mexico

“When you talk about pork carnitas, you’re talking about Michoacán,” says Sanchez.

At El Tequileño, the carnitas involves a five-hour braising process that results in an impossibly tender, flavorful and enjoyable plate, accompanied by the obligatory beans, rice and corn tortillas. According to Sanchez, the restaurant goes through over 8,000 pounds of pork a month across all four locations to meet the demand. (You can order it as a platter, or as the protein option for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, huaraches and alambres.)

Just be warned: these are not plates of food. They’re trays. We’re talking 13-inch diameter plates that could feed a family, served as individual entrees. The menu also features “dinner for two” options that one can only imagine means the ability to feed two entire families.

Perhaps that’s what explains the very tall stack of take out boxes at the host stand.

What you're drinking

For what’s billed as a family restaurant, there certainly is a whole lot of booze at El Tequileño. Specifically, tequila. According to Sanchez, the restaurant has some 200 brands of tequila and mezcal available, ranging in price from $5 to $500 a shot.

“Nobody has more tequila selections that we do,” Sanchez says.

That, of course, extends to the margaritas, with over a dozen signature options on the menu that include such mixers as hibiscus, passionfruit, Red Bull and one with a small Corona bottle added as a “garnish.”

One standout is the Cantarito, a tequila-based cocktail similar to a margarita but less acidic, served in a clay “jarrito de barro” emblazoned with the restaurant’s logo and rimmed with chili salt.
So back to the question of El Tequileño’s success. What is the secret to not just surviving, but thriving for over two decades and expanding to multiple locations? Maybe it all just comes down to consistency — across the food, the atmosphere and the experience. Perhaps that’s what Sanchez means when he credits the staff’s long tenure with the business. Because that food, atmosphere and experience has to come from somewhere, and Sanchez is only one guy managing (soon) five locations.

Or maybe it really is just the tequila shots.

El Tequileño is located at 2790 South Havana Street in Aurora and is open  11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit www.tequilasmexrest.com.