Efrain Gomez built his restaurant empire following an apprenticeship with his uncle, known as Señor Miguel, a pioneering figure in Boulder's Mexican food scene. Señor Miguel was notably the first Mexican American to own a commercial building in Boulder, a fact Gomez takes considerable pride in. Gomez opened his first establishment in Lafayette in 1991. After achieving success there, he eventually transferred operations to his siblings and redirected his focus toward Boulder. Efrain's of Boulder opened in 1997 and has remained under Gomez's direct management ever since. He emphasizes the importance of consistent personal involvement, stating: A lot of people open a restaurant, and then get some success with it, and they walk away. They go on vacation, and when they come back, things aren't so good. The restaurants' foundation rests on chile verde—green chile with pork—which customers consistently praise. Gomez distinguishes his preparation method: The problem with a lot of other places is that they put flour in their chile verde to thicken it. We don't do that, and it's much better. The Boulder location's success earned Efrain's the Best Mexican Food award from the Boulder Daily Camera for 19 of 20 years. Gomez's nephew, Christian Piñon, is transitioning into leadership. Recently, Piñon orchestrated the Boulder restaurant's relocation to a more prominent location near McGuckin Hardware.