Chelos is a very small out of the way mexican restaurant.  It is located at 375 W University Ave, just over the train tracks from 3rd street.  They feature a variety of classic mexican food at good prices.

When I entered Chelos it felt like I was entering a home.  The restaurant has 3 or 4 tables and about 5 booths.  The inside is well worn, but comfortable.  Chelos is a very laid back restaurant. I was able to go and pick my place to sit, and was promptly greeted and given a menu.

Since I had recently returned to Laramie from Tucson where I ate at the famous Mi Nidito mexican restaurant I decided to have the chili rellano plate at Chelos to see how it compared to what many call “the best chili reano” at Mi Nidito.  The food was served fast.  I received two cheese stuffed green chilies fried in an egg batter and smothered in Chelos cheese sauce, with a standard side of rice and beans, and also two hot flour tortillas.  The cheese sauce was great, and the chili rellanos were cooked perfectly.  They paired very well with the hot tortillas.  It was a very delicious and very comforting meal.  In my opinion the chili rellanos I had at Chelos were better than those I had at Mi Nidito.

Chelos offers wonderful tasting mexican food in a friendly relaxed home type atmoshphere.  It may be a bit off the beaten path, but it is well worth your time to discover this treasure of Laramie.

Service: 21
Atmosphere: 20
Food: 23
Experience: 20

S.A.F.E. Score: 84

Jeffrey’s Bistro is located in downtown Laramie at 123 E Ivinson Ave.  It is a relatively small restaurant with about 10 tables.  Jeffrey’s has a fairly unique menu for Laramie.  They offer many vegetarian dishes, and a wide variety of flavors.  Menu items include a Thai burrito, dopiazah, grilled hummus, greek vegetable pita, and a good variety of flavorful salads.  Jeffrey’s has reasonable prices as well.  You would expect to spend about $10.00 a person for lunch.

We went to Jeffery’s for lunch and had no wait to be seated.  Although the dining room was small it didn’t have  a small feel to it.  It was warm and pleasant with a nice decor including some work from local artists.  Our service was good.  We got prompt refills, and didn’t seem to be waiting on anything.  Our waitress did seem kind of shy, but was still pleasant.

I decided to order the  Siamese chicken with broccoli and peanuts.  It is pieces of chicken in a creamy thai sauce with a bit of spice to it with steamed broccoli and roasted peanuts all served over brown rice.  This dish was wonderful.  All of the flavors blended together very well, and left me craving more.  The others in my party also enjoyed their entrees.

Jeffrey’s offers flavors unlike any other restaurant in Laramie, and is a good dining experience.  If you are looking for unique food, or something new try Jeffrey’s.  I really recommend the Siamese chicken with broccoli and peanuts, you won’t be disappointed.

Service: 20
Atmosphere:  22
Food: 24
Experience: 22

S.A.F.E. Score: 88

The Cavalryman supper club is located just south of Laramie on highway 287 (4425 South 3rd St).  It is located in an old building that used to be a clubhouse for a country club golf course.  The building has an old western feel to it.  The walls are lined with weathered wood planks, and there is a large fireplace burning real wood adding warmth and atmosphere.  There are also trophy Elk, Deer, Moose, and other animals mounted high on the walls.

The Cavalryman offers traditional steakhouse cuisine such as beef, seafood, chicken, and fish.  They also feature a soup and salad wagon, which is a real wagon with about 25 different traditional salad bar options.  The soups on the night we dined were french onion and a creamed asparagus.  The main entrees are served either enlisted or officer style.  The enlisted meal comes with a choice of sides and an order of batter dipped mushrooms.  The officer meal adds coffee or tea, unlimited trips to the soup and salad wagon, hot garlic toast, and choice of desserts, or dessert bar drink.  Prices range from about $20 on up for an entree.  The officer meal is an additional $9.  You should expect to spend about $40 per person.

We had made reservations, and when we arrived we were promptly seated.  We were sat next to the fireplace which was nice and warm; great for a cold winter night.  The restaurant didn’t seem really busy, and there were several empty tables nearby, but it still took a while before we finally got to place our drink orders, and another wait to place our dinner order.  I went with a 12 oz New York Strip steak cooked medium with Parmesan mashed potatoes and soup and salad.  The salad bar had a good variety of lettuces, baby spinach, and toppings like cheese, tomatoes, eggs, cucumbers, cottage cheese, fruit, etc.  While enjoying our salads were were brought some batter fried mushrooms served with a dipping sauce which were very good.  About the time we finished our salads our main course arrived.  My steak was cook exactly as ordered, but the quality of the steak was less than I expected for the price we paid.  It wasn’t very tender, and the flavor, while good, wasn’t full.  Our waitress also never brought by  the garlic toast we were supposed to get, maybe because she hardly stopped by the table at all.  The mashed potatoes were good, but the brown gravy served on them was average.  When our waitress finally came back we placed our orders for dessert.  I went with a New York style cheesecake topped with caramel.  The cheesecake wasn’t as firm as other New York style I’ve had, but it did have a good richness and texture.  The way it was presented and tasted led me to believe that it was brought in from somewhere else instead of homemade,  which was disappointing considering the price of the meal.  After finishing dessert we had to once again wait for our waitress to finally bring us the bill.  Fortunately we had cash to pay the bill so we didn’t have to wait for her to come back to collect it.

The cavalryman started out with a lot of potential and a good atmosphere, but it went downhill from there.  It seems like they are trying hard to be an upscale restaurant, but the only things they have managed to raise are their prices instead of food quality or service. You would be better off saving your money and visiting another local restaurant instead.  If it is steak you crave, then a chain steakhouse would give you better food and service than the cavalryman.  We left disappointed.

Service: 14
Atmosphere: 22
Food: 17
Experience: 15
S.A.F.E. Score: 68

Several years ago Corona Village, a popular Mexican restaurant here in Laramie, opened another location featuring a modified menu and specializing in large burritos and fast service.  The Andale Rapido branch is located at 2900 Grand Ave in the back corner of the aspen square shopping center.

Andale Rapido has a clean modern look, with an inviting decor and atmosphere.  They specialize in burritos with choice of meats, beans, and toppings.  They also serve many other popular Mexican dishes from quesadillas to carne asada.  Prices are around $7 – $9 a person.  Since they specialize in burritos we decided to try them out.  I ordered a burrito with grilled peppers and onions, steak, pinto beans, rice, pico de gayo, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole all piled and rolled on a very large flour tortilla.  To drink instead of soda we decided to go with a more traditional Mexican flavor and ordered their homemade horchata.

The portion sizes were perfect, and the food was great.  All of the flavors of the overstuffed burrito blended together in harmony.  The horchata, a cinnamon flavored rice milk, was superb.  It rivaled the many I had while living on the Mexican border in El Paso.  Everyone in our party enjoyed their food and had fun.

The Andale Rapido branch of Corona Village offers great burritos, and other fast Mexican food at a reasonable price in a clean, open and friendly setting.  It is perfect for lunch, and worth a visit.

Service: 20
Atmosphere: 21
Food: 20
Experience: 21

S.A.F.E. Score: 82

Originally reviewed on Dec 4, 2006

Lovejoy’s bar and grill is a small restaurant and bar located in downtown Laramie at 101 Grand Avenue. When we stopped by Lovejoy’s on a Friday evening it was very full. Despite being full we only had about a 15 minute wait to be seated.

The restaurant was very clean, and nicely decorated with local sports photos. They also have a large screen TV to watch games on, and several TV’s at the bar. The atmosphere was vibrant. It felt like we were at “the place to be” that night. The restaurant was filled with young people in their 20’s and 30’s with a mixture of singles, couples, and the occasional child. The restaurant was a bit noisy, including some music coming from a stereo system, but no one seemed to mind. It appeared that everyone was having a good time.

Lovejoy’s features several types of burgers, sandwiches and wraps. The menu also has a few Mexican and Italian style dishes. Prices range from $7.00 to $13.00. They also feature a full bar, and several brews on tap. One of the things I had heard about Lovejoy’s was that they have great burgers, so I had to try one.

I had the Lovejoy’s burger. A ½ lb burger topped with apple wood smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese, and guacamole. It is served with choice of sides. The burger lived up to its reputation. It is by far the best burger I have had anywhere in Laramie. It was juicy and very flavorful, not to mention very filling. The others in my group were all very satisfied with their dinner choices as well, and no one was left hungry.

Because the restaurant was so full I though that maybe our service would suffer a bit, but I was once again surprised by Lovejoy’s. The service was prompt, friendly, and our drinks never seemed to empty.

If you are looking for excellent food, with good sized portions, a fabulous atmosphere, and want to hangout with a younger crowd, then Lovejoy’s is perfect. If you would like to try Lovejoy’s with a bit less commotion, then stop by for lunch some day when it isn’t quite as happening as it is on the weekends; but definitely make a stop to this local favorite.

Service: 23
Atmosphere: 23
Food: 24
Experience: 24

S.A.F.E. Score: 94

Originally reviewed Nov 9, 2006

El Conquistador is located in downtown Laramie next to the buckhorn bar at 110 E Ivinson. Upon entering you notice the colorful walls, dimly lit décor, and well worn dining areas. The tables and chairs reminded me of a cafeteria; while functional they do not add anything to the experience.

The menu features a fairly standard choice of tex-mex favorites such as tamales, chile rellanos, enchiladas, burritos, etc. Prices average around $10 per plate. One item that caught my eye was the stuffed sopapias. While waiting for a friend to join us we sampled their chips and salsa, and also got an order of chile con queso made with hot green chili sauce. Even though the red salsa was nothing special the green chile con queso was wonderful.

The staff was friendly and patient with us while we waited for a friend to arrive. They did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and checking up on us occasionally.

For dinner I decided on a chicken stuffed sopapia smother in green chile. The food was served piping hot on a hot plate with a small amount of shredded cabbage and a quarter of a slice of tomato. The sopapia was beautifully crisp and chewy, and tasted wonderful. The green chile was a great addition.

After a satisfying meal we were treated to complimentary sopapias sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with honey. It was just the right amount of sweetness to cap off a wonderful meal.

The food was definitely the star of el conquistador and although there were few sides served with the dish I ordered I didn’t find myself wanting after the meal. If you can endure a run down décor and dining room, you’ll be thankful you did when you enjoy the food.

Service: 20
Atmosphere: 17
Food: 22
Experience: 20

S.A.F.E. Score: 79

Originally reviewed on October 26, 2006

The first thing I noticed about J’s Prairie Rose Cafe, was the name. J’s is located at 410 S 2nd street; the longtime location of Rose Cafe, a small family run Chinese restaurant. Rose Cafe closed its doors last September, and I think it is no coincidence that J’s is trying to use the name recognition that Rose Cafe developed over its thirty years in Laramie.

The restaurant is still in the process of decorating. Most of the walls are blank and freshly painted white; others have a few small pictures hung on them. There were some strange silver-wear and horse shoe structures hanging from the ceiling. The counter seats had been recently re-upholstered, but the counters were worn and faded. The wait staff was polite, but quiet and non talkative. Sitting at the front counter I didn’t have to wait long to get my drink refilled.

The food served at the Prairie Rose Cafe is classic diner cuisine. They feature several types of burgers, fried chicken, club sandwiches, soups, and sides such as fries, onion rings, and cottage cheese. The food seems reasonably priced. One could expect to spend less than $9.00 for lunch. J’s also features a Daily lunch special for $5.99, although it was sold out when I arrived. Currently J’s is only open during breakfast and lunch hours; from 6 am until 2 pm.

I decided to try the Big Laramie burger with pepper-jack cheese and bacon. The burger was very big, and perfectly cooked. The big Laramie comes served on a large toasted sesame seed bun with the usual burger toppings on the side: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. The fries are seasoned with a type of seasoning salt, and while there were plenty, they were a bit on the soggy side.

As I was waiting for my food I was able to watch the kitchen staff work through the food service opening between the kitchen and the counters. I noted that none of the kitchen staff were wearing hats or hair nets. Seeing this type of thing doesn’t help a restaurant experience.

While the prices are reasonable, Prairie Rose Cafe seems to be lacking in charm, hospitality, and identity. All things it could use to help to make up for some of its other shortcomings. I don’t see myself returning anytime soon.

Service: 17
Atmosphere: 13
Food: 15
Experience: 14

S.A.F.E. Score: 59