This South Denver Metro Breakfast and Lunch Spot Is a Hidden Gem

Sometimes you drive by a restaurant a hundred times before even noticing it’s there.

There are lots of reasons for this. Sometimes you’re just busy and distracted when you drive that particular stretch of road. Sometimes there’s another restaurant nearby that you frequent instead so you never think to try another one on the same street. Other times, it’s just because the place in question doesn’t really jump out at you or stick in your memory. Sometimes, you’re just wrapped up in your own thoughts.

However, if you’re mindful when you’re out in the world, you might one day notice a place you’ve somehow always missed in the past. Then, the very  next day, someone you know might mention the place you’ve suddenly noticed. And then, you start thinking about how wow, that’s a very weird coincidence – and then you say to yourself, hey, maybe I should check that place out right away. And you finally do.

That’s how my discovery of Mike’s Cafe happened. This simple, down-home, friendly restaurant has been in operation since 2002 – long before I even moved to the area in 2013. I must have driven past it many dozens of times on my way to different places, but when I first saw it on Federal Boulevard in Englewood, Colorado, it was like I was seeing it for the very first time.

Mike’s Cafe is unassuming to look at, but it’s very popular. In fact, as I learned after my first visit, there’s sometimes a line out the door on weekends. I first visited with my partner on a weekday and there was no wait. He had eaten at Mike’s on his own in the past when running errands without me, and he said that we were about to be in for a real treat.

The interior of Mike’s Cafe is homey and welcoming, and even on a weekday, it was packed full with happy patrons. The waitstaff greeted us enthusiastically and gave us a menu. As I perused it, I could see that Mike’s was not only affordable, but that it offered a wide variety of comfort food dishes. I knew right away that I was going to love this place.

We were seated a a center table and it was clear that Mike's Cafe was quite popular. People of all ages and backgrounds were at every table and there were even people filling most of the seats at the counter. Mike's has about 20 tables or so, and every time I've been since, it's been the same way. This spot is always quite busy, and once I saw the menu and ate the food, it was easy to see why.

The menu is quite vast and varied and includes a little bit of everything. The breakfast menu features everything you'd expect on a breakfast menu and more. In addition to pancakes, french toast, waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and standard breakfast meats, there are special treats to be had like pork chops, chicken fried steak, corned beef and hash, and no fewer than 17 different creative omelets from which to choose. Furthermore, Mike's also offers a variety of Mexican-style breakfasts that everyone will love, including huevos rancheros, chili rellaños and eggs, and machaca (beef, mushrooms, hash browns, peppers, onions, two eggs, green chili, and cheddar), as well as eight different breakfast burritos. No matter what you want for breakfast, Mike's Cafe has it!

The lunch menu is impressive as well. It includes nearly a dozen fresh, healthy salads that would be a filling lunch on their own. A wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, and melts offers options for anyone seeking a traditional all-American lunch, or you can choose from the Mexican-focused portion of the menu and enjoy a quesadilla, burrito, enchilada, or fajitas. Anyone looking for an even larger and more filling entree will love the Mexican steaks, chops, and combos section of the menu, or could even order a dinner-sized entree for their midday meal with options like sirloin steak, grilled pork chops, fried chicken dinner, or even liver and onions.

And, all the food at Mike's is excellent. Everything I've ordered at Mike's has not only been cooked to perfection, but it also feels like it was a dish that someone would make and serve you in their home. This is home cooking at its finest, in a restaurant setting. The portions are large but not overwhelming, and every bite is better than the last.

One tip for anyone looking to try Mike's Cafe soon or in the distant future: make sure you try the green chile. As anyone familiar with Colorado knows, green chile is a Colorado staple, and every restaurant that serves it has its own secret recipe. Almost every green chile is good, but some are great, and some are exceptional. Mike's Cafe is known for having some of the very best green chile in the Denver metro, and I can agree with that assessment. You can get it smothered on anything at this restaurant, and you should make sure that you do. There's so much about Mike's that is great, but I'm pretty sure that the green chile alone could keep people coming back.

I've never left Mike's less than satisfied, and you won't either. The food is great, the atmosphere is simple yet homey and pleasant, and the service is always fast and friendly without being pushy or overbearing in any way. I am a huge fan of this place, as you can see, and you're sure to become a fan of it too when you go. I recommend you go soon. You're going to love Mike's Cafe. Sometimes, it's the most unassuming, under-the-radar spots that you've never even noticed before that offer the very best of it all, and Mike's is a prime example of that - without a doubt.