When you’ve been serving the same community for over three decades, you learn a thing or two about what keeps people coming back. At El Chubby’s in Aurora, Colorado, we’ve watched families grow up at our tables, seen first-time visitors become regulars, and turned countless skeptics into devoted fans, all since 1990. And while our Mexican food menu is what most people know us for, there’s a quieter obsession brewing among our loyal customers: our burgers.
Yes, burgers. At a Mexican restaurant.
It might seem unexpected, but that’s exactly what makes El Chubby’s different. Our burgers aren’t an afterthought, they’re a beloved part of our menu that draws in everyone from construction crews on lunch break to families looking for something satisfying after a long day. What started as a simple addition has become one of the reasons people keep driving to 1191 S. Abilene St, even when there’s a dozen other burger joints closer to home. So what’s the secret? Let’s break it down.
The Story Behind El Chubby’s Rise in Aurora
Our story starts in 1990, when our family opened the doors to what would become an Aurora institution. Back then, we were just another small Mexican restaurant hoping to make it in a competitive food scene. We had recipes passed down through generations, a commitment to fresh ingredients, and a stubborn belief that if we cooked food the way our family cooked it at home, people would notice.
They did.
For 35 years now, 2025 marks our anniversary, we’ve been a fixture in the Aurora community. We’ve weathered economic downturns, survived the pandemic, and watched the neighborhood change around us. Through it all, we’ve stayed true to what made us successful in the first place: made-to-order food, honest prices, and treating every customer like family.
The burgers came into the picture because, well, we’re a family restaurant. Not everyone in every family wants Mexican food every single time. We started grilling up burgers to give people options, and something unexpected happened, they became a hit in their own right. Regulars who came in for carne asada started ordering cheeseburgers. Kids who grew up eating our breakfast burritos brought their own kids back for our bacon cheeseburgers.
What we didn’t anticipate was how our Mexican food expertise would influence our burger game. Our signature green chili? It found its way onto our burgers. That attention to fresh, quality ingredients we bring to our tacos and enchiladas? Same standard applies to every patty we grill. The result is a burger that tastes different from what you’d get at a typical fast-food chain, because it’s made with the same care we put into everything else.
What Makes El Chubby’s Burgers Stand Out
Fresh Ingredients and Unique Flavor Combinations
Here’s the thing about our burgers: they benefit from being made in a kitchen that’s already obsessed with freshness. We make our beans in the pot just like Mama used to make. Our green chili is prepared fresh every single day. That same philosophy extends to our burger ingredients.
But the real magic happens when you smother one of our burgers with chili. You’ve got options, hot green chili for those who like some kick, mild green chili if you want the flavor without the heat, or red chili for a more traditional taste. This is something you simply won’t find at your average burger spot. It’s a fusion that makes perfect sense once you try it, combining the comfort of a classic American burger with the bold, authentic flavors we’ve perfected over 35 years of serving Mexican cuisine.
Every burger is grilled to order. We’re not pulling pre-cooked patties from a warmer, when you order a cheeseburger or a double bacon cheeseburger, it hits the grill fresh. That’s why there might be a short wait during the lunch rush, but it’s also why the burger you bite into is juicy, hot, and exactly the way you ordered it.
Generous Portions at Honest Prices
We’ve always believed that people should leave our restaurant satisfied, not still hungry and wondering if they should’ve ordered more. Our burgers reflect that philosophy. Whether you go for a standard hamburger or upgrade to a double bacon cheeseburger, you’re getting a substantial meal.
And because we’re a family-owned operation, not a franchise paying corporate fees, we can keep our prices reasonable. We’re not trying to squeeze every dollar out of our customers. We’d rather you come back next week, and the week after that. That long-term relationship matters more to us than maximizing profit on a single visit.
Pair your burger with our fries or onion rings, and you’ve got a complete meal that won’t expensive. Or get adventurous and try our smothered fries on the side, an order of french fries covered in green chili and cheese. It’s indulgent, it’s messy, and it’s absolutely worth it.
The Community Connection That Keeps Customers Coming Back
We’re not naive about this: there are a lot of places to get a burger in Aurora. Chain restaurants, local diners, food trucks, competition is everywhere. So why do people drive past all those options to come to us?
A big part of it is relationships. When you’ve been in the same location for 35 years, you build connections that go beyond transactions. We know our regulars by name. We’ve watched their kids grow up. Some of our customers today are the children of customers from the ’90s, carrying on a family tradition of eating at El Chubby’s.
Our team takes genuine pride in being part of Aurora. This isn’t just where we do business, it’s our home. When you dine with us, whether it’s inside the restaurant or swinging through our drive-thru, we want you to feel that. It’s why our staff greets familiar faces with real warmth, why we remember your usual order, why we actually care if your meal was good.
There’s also something to be said for consistency. In a world where restaurants come and go, where your favorite spot might close tomorrow, El Chubby’s has been here for three and a half decades. People take comfort in that. They know what they’re getting, quality food, fair prices, friendly service, and they know we’ll still be here next month, next year, and hopefully for another 35 years.
Signature Menu Items Every First-Timer Should Try
If you’re visiting El Chubby’s for the first time and curious about our burgers, we have some suggestions.
The bacon cheeseburger is a crowd favorite for good reason. It’s straightforward, executed well, and hits all the right notes. But if you really want to experience what makes our burgers different, ask for it smothered with your choice of chili. The hot green chili is our signature, it’s what we’re best known for, and it transforms a classic burger into something uniquely El Chubby’s.
For bigger appetites, the double bacon cheeseburger delivers. Two patties, bacon, cheese, and all the fixings. Add smothered fries on the side if you’re really hungry.
Now, we’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t mention some of our Mexican specialties too. After all, that’s our foundation. The carne asada fries have become our new signature dish, tender strips of steak grilled with jalapeño, onions, and tomatoes, served over french fries and smothered with green chili and cheese. It’s indulgent in the best way.
Our combination plates offer excellent value. Try Combo #6, the El Chubby’s Sampler, if you want a taste of multiple items: a small beef and bean burrito smothered in green chili, a beef taco, and a tostada, all served with rice and beans.
And please, save room for dessert. Our churros, available in cinnamon or Oreo, are rolled fresh. The fried ice cream and sopapillas round out a meal perfectly. Trust us on this one.
What Loyal Fans Say About El Chubby’s
Our following has grown exponentially over the years, and that growth came from word of mouth more than anything else. Loyal patrons who’ve been with us from day one brought their friends. Those friends became regulars. Their families followed.
What we hear most often is that our food tastes homemade. That’s intentional, we want everything to taste like it came out of your own kitchen, only better because you didn’t have to cook it. Customers appreciate that we grill everything to order, that we let them customize their meals, that we don’t cut corners on ingredients.
The burgers specifically get praised for being unexpected. People come in for Mexican food, notice the burger section of the menu, and decide to try one on a whim. Then they’re hooked. There’s something satisfying about discovering a great burger at a place you wouldn’t expect to find one.
Long-time customers also mention our consistency. The burger they ate five years ago tastes the same as the one they ate last week. The green chili hasn’t changed. The portions haven’t shrunk. In a food industry that constantly chases trends, we’ve stayed true to what works.
We’re also grateful for the patience our customers show during busy times. Fresh, made-to-order food takes a few minutes longer than pre-made alternatives. Our regulars understand that, and they’ll tell newcomers: the wait is worth it.
How El Chubby’s Compares to Other Aurora Burger Spots
Aurora has no shortage of burger options. Fast-food chains are everywhere. Sit-down restaurants serve burgers as part of larger menus. Dedicated burger joints have popped up in recent years with gourmet offerings and premium price tags.
So where does El Chubby’s fit in?
We occupy a unique space. Our burgers are priced accessibly, closer to fast food than fine dining, but the quality is noticeably higher than what you’d get at a drive-thru chain. The fresh preparation, the ability to smother your burger in authentic green chili, and the generous portions set us apart.
We’re not trying to be a trendy burger bar with $18 patties and truffle aioli. That’s not who we are. We’re a family restaurant serving honest food at honest prices. Our burgers are meant to satisfy, not impress food critics.
What we offer that most burger spots can’t match is variety. You can come to El Chubby’s with a group where one person wants a cheeseburger, another wants carne asada tacos, someone else is craving a breakfast burrito (yes, even at dinner), and a fourth person just wants smothered fries. Everyone leaves happy. Try doing that at a burger-only restaurant.
The convenience factor matters too. We’ve got dine-in, take-out, drive-thru, and delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash. Open from 8 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11 AM to 8 PM on Sundays. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or picking up dinner for the whole family on your way home from work, we make it easy.
Conclusion
Thirty-five years is a long time in the restaurant business. Most places don’t make it past five. We’ve survived and thrived because we’ve never lost sight of what matters: quality ingredients, made-to-order preparation, fair prices, and genuine connection with our community.
Our burgers might seem like an unlikely claim to fame for a Mexican restaurant, but they represent everything we believe in. They’re made fresh, they’re customizable, they’re generously portioned, and they carry the same care and flavor profile that defines all our food. When you smother a cheeseburger in our signature hot green chili, you’re not just eating a burger, you’re experiencing what 35 years of family recipes and community feedback have created.
Whether you’re a first-timer curious about what the fuss is about, or a longtime fan who already knows exactly what to order, we look forward to seeing you at 1191 S. Abilene St. Swing through the drive-thru, dine in with us, or order delivery, but you choose to experience El Chubby’s, we promise to serve up a tasty meal just the way you like it.
We hope to see you soon.
