Monte and Carole House lived in Denver, he working in banking and finance; she managed a tennis and fitness club. But city life lost its charm, and it was time for a change. The idea of providing hospitality in a beautiful mountain area appealed to them, and their Friday night hobby for 25 years had been the pursuit of the ultimate Mexican dinner and the perfect margarita.
In 1995, Monte and Carole came to Estes Park, rescued an aging run down restaurant building and created Grumpy Gringo. A total remodel resulted in a Spanish adobe-style restaurant, with a warm and inviting entrance, a large dining area, banquet room, bar and patio overlooking the lake and Longs Peak. A classic Mexican menu utilizing third generation Mexican family recipes and with additional new items created exclusively for this restaurant was produced. An outstanding line of regular, special and flavored margaritas was developed.
Thus, Monte and Carole created “the type of place that we would like to go to.” Their goal is for Grumpy Gringo to be the place you like to go to.
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EXERPTS FROM PUBLISHED ARTICLES
“The first thing that comes to mind is the old saying about the three most desirable characteristics in a piece of real estate: location, location, and location. Here we are at the top of the world, surrounded by a 360-degree visit of snowy mountain peaks flooded with bright sunshine, about to experience the best Mexican food in the Rockies.
Chef Paul Tafoya utilized all he had learned in California, Texas and other parts of Colorado to create a classic Mexican menu. Some of the recipes are handed down from his grandmother, others were contributed by Carole House, and several dishes were developed specially for this restaurant. All the old-country flavor is here, along with all the “plate appeal” of the more modern taste for visual artistry.
Grumpy Gringo is open year-round at 1560 Big Thompson in Estes Park, and the phone number is 970-586-7705. The friendly greetings sparkle as brightly as the glassware, and the elegant simplicity of the décor reflects the wholesome goodness of the fare.”
From ‘A NEW TRADITION AT GRUMPY GRINGO, TRAVEL HOST, by Pat Hartman, freelance writer, May 11-June 7, 1997’
“Best Restaurant: The Grumpy Gringo in Estes Park, Colo. That tells you something about my level of culinary sophistication.”
From ‘THE BEST OF 2004, ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH, travel reporter Ron Cobb,’ in an article on the best things about his travels.’
“Grumpy Gringo brings smiles with Mexican dinner, drink"
Not that I ever needed an excuse to visit Estes Park, but I recently found a reason to linger a little longer. It came in the form of a Mexican dinner and mango margarita I shall not soon forget.
I speak of the Grumpy Gringo – one of the first buildings you see when entering Estes Park from Highway 34.
And if you arrive at the prime dinner hour, expect to see a lot of the waiting area. The Gringo is one of the more popular restaurants in town………..
Based on the crowd that was still waiting for a table when we left, the secret of the Grumpy Gringo has been out for some time. And, while you may see a few grumpy faces in the waiting area, it’s mostly smiles coming out.
From ‘Grumpy Gringo brings smiles with Mexican dinner, drink, The Coloradoan, Friday, September 13, 1996, by Shannon Teslow, a resident of Ft. Collins and a free-lance writer.’
HOW DID GRUMPY GRINGO COME ABOUT 