JP Cocina & Cantina Now Open in the Former Wild Goose Saloon

I went to the grand opening of JP Cocina & Cantina in Parker on Wednesday, August 19. The Mexican restaurant and cantina is now open in the old Wild Goose Saloon building at 11160 S Pikes Peak Drive, on the stretch between Mainstreet and Hilltop, by Best Buy. It soft-opened Monday, August 17.

They cut the ribbon to a mariachi band, with confetti cannons going off over the door.

Here's who's behind it, what we ate, and the hours.

Who's behind it

The owner is Jose Poblano. He's the JP on the sign. Chef Fernando Ortiz runs the kitchen.

Jose started with a food truck on March 18, 2021 and one employee. About five months in it took off, and by the end of that first year he was up to twelve people. That truck is El Poblano Mexican Eats, now a truck and covered outdoor stand at 11321 Dransfeldt Rd, sitting at 4.8 stars across 592 Google reviews on breakfast burritos, street tacos and tortas. He also runs The Perfect Time Cafe, the American breakfast-and-burgers spot at 10471 S Parker Road, itself a 4.6 across 430 Google reviews.

This is the third spot and the biggest. Jose told me he plans to be here seven days a week while it gets going.

What we ate

The elote was the surprise of the visit and one of the best I've had anywhere around here. It's $7, listed as Street Corn. It comes off the cob, kernels piled into an open corn husk, buried in cotija and salsa macha, with chips alongside carrying the same cotija and macha. If you're heat-averse, like me, the macha isn't punishing. Get it.

I also had the ribeye tacos, $23, which come with a bone marrow standing straight up on the plate. The menu calls it roasted. The ribeye is the focus and it's very good. I'm not much of a bone marrow guy, but I ate all of it.

Margaritas get shaken to order. The Classic and skinny are $11, most of the house list is $13, and the "Upscale" section is $18, where the Perfect Coin Margarita lives. That's the one Fernando pointed to, built on Comonfort Añejo. The tequila list behind the bar is deep, and a lot of it I didn't recognize. On opening day a rep named Heather was set up pouring Altos samples.

Ask Jose what to order and he'll tell you the arrachera and the ceviche.

The rest of the menu runs from $4 street tacos up through a $24 seafood soup with shrimp, octopus, crab legs and fish. Birria's $18, enchiladas $14, carne asada $22, chile rellenos with shrimp $20, aguachile $18. There's a burger section, a $10 kids menu, and sides from $1 to $6. It's the same menu all day, no separate lunch or brunch.

The space

If you ever went to Wild Goose Saloon, you'll recognize most of this. Same building, same bones, same stage. There's even still a Wild Goose Saloon painted on the wall, which presumably has to come down at some point.

A long, fully stocked back bar runs most of one wall under a Jimi Hendrix mural. B.B. King is painted on another wall with Lucille, Hank Williams is up by the photo wall in the hat with a ribbon mic, and above the back exit there's Freddie Mercury in the yellow jacket, fist up, "WE WILL" painted to his left and "ROCK YOU" to his right. Brick, iron chandeliers and high-tops fill a dining room that runs deep into the building.

The stage was already set on opening day. Drum kit up, lighting rig on, monitors out. The screens from the Wild Goose days are still up too, and they were running the Cincinnati Open while I was there, so it's safe to assume games will be on.

Out back there's a big turf beer garden with whiskey-barrel tables, fire-pit tables and string lights, and a second stage facing it. Two stages total, one in, one out.

Still coming

The room is ready for music but the calendar isn't. Live music, karaoke, bingo, country nights, Noche Latina (Latin night) and comedy are all planned, just further down the road. Right now the focus is the kitchen and the bar.

Takeout and online ordering are still to come, too. It's dine-in for now.

Hours

• Sunday–Wednesday: 10am to midnight
• Thursday–Saturday: 10am to 2am
• Happy hour: Not running yet. A 2pm-to-5pm happy hour was announced at the grand opening, but as of late August staff say it hasn't started and there's no start date

Same menu all day, no separate lunch or brunch. Phone is (720) 363-8670.

The menu

Prices as of opening day, August 19, 2026.

Appetizers
Street Corn $7 · Chips with red beans $11 · Guacamole with chicharrón $12 · Trio dip $12 · Jalapeño poppers $12 · JP fries $15 · JP nachos $15 · Cheese dip with chorizo $17 · Azteca fried calamari $18

Street tacos
Chicharrón $4 · Shrimp $5 · Street tacos $4

Entrées
Enchiladas $14 · Gordita $15 · Grilled tilapia $16 · Grilled chicken breast with poblano sauce $16 · Chilaquiles $17 (with meat $24) · Birria $18 · Red pork plate $18 · Mummy-style shrimp $19 · Chile rellenos with shrimp $20 · Carne asada $22 · Baja tacos $23 · Ribeye tacos $23 · Arrachera $25

From the sea
Mango habanero ceviche $16 · Aguachile $18 · Seafood soup $24

Salads and burgers
Cheeseburger with fries $15 · JP burger $16 · Create-your-own burger $18

Sides
Sour cream $1 · Pico de gallo $3 · Toreados $3 · Beans $5 · Rice $5 · Guacamole $5 · Mixed greens $5 · Fries $6

Kids — $10 each: chicken nuggets, cheeseburger, bean and cheese burrito, cheese quesadilla

Margaritas
Classic $11 · Skinny $11 · Flavor $12 · House style, Blueberry Blaze, Loca, Luna Azul, Bocanta, Knockout, Mexican Candy, Señorita, Romerito, Low Key, Sangria, Cream Berzo, Cream Exotic Paradise — all $13

Upscale margaritas — $18: Perfect, Perfect Coin, Cadalie

Cocktails
Mocktail $8 · Bloody Mary $10 · Mimosa $10 · Carajillo $12 · JP Michelada $12 · Mojito $12 · Ranch Water $12 · Mexican Mule $12 · Gin and tonic $12 · JP Paloma $13 · Piña colada $13 · Old Fashioned $14 · Chabela $14 · El Loco Somer $14 · Cantaritos $15 · Martinis $13

Beer and wine
Domestic $5 · Non-alcoholic $5 · Import $6 · White wine $10 · Rosé $10 · Red wine $12

Non-alcoholic
Fountain drinks $4 (free refills) · Coffee $4 · Tea $4 · Aguas frescas $6

While you're in Parker

The building has history worth knowing: Wild Goose Saloon was the live music venue and BBQ joint here from 2021 until it closed on February 22, 2026. If you're tracking what else is opening around the county, we keep a running list of new businesses in Douglas County, and the rest of Parker's restaurants and bars are in the Parker directory.