Review of El Conquistador

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


S.A.F.E. Score explained:
Each restaurant is rated in four categories with a possible 25 points available in each. Service rates how friendly the staff was, how long it took to get seated and order, were drinks refilled promptly, etc. Atmosphere covers the look, feel, and sounds of the establishment. The Food rating is based on taste, satisfaction, and portion size. The experience score is the overall experience of the restaurant and includes items that don’t