Such a great ambience! Definitely value for money as the portions are huuuuuge none of us at our table could finish . The food is so good. The drinks are so good , service is great and when you ask for chilli they mean CHILLI! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone even for a cute date night.
Definitely one of the best Mexican restaurants in Cape Town.
Best margaritas, great food, warm ambiance.
Food portions are large so great for sharing.
Staff friendly and polite. Service is relatively quick. Food is served in large portions. Good value for money. Atmosphere compliments the cuisine well. Food was decent. Cocktail menu selection is more than adequate.
Best chili poppers ever, amazing service and delicious margaritas 😍 Will definitely keep visiting panchos for many more years 💥 Thank you panchos team
Sonique "Foodie" Davids
+5
OMG!! Ponchos is one of my favourites
Vibe
Proper mexican feel
Intimate
Great for a date
Dimmed
Food
Nacho heaven
Flavours are on point
Fresh
Tasty
Want to go back for more
Service
I am an Obs girl so I love Obs people
My ABSOLUTE favourite restaurant in Cape Town and no one will convince me otherwise! Have been eating there for about 7 years and never have I ever recieved bad service or any food below par. A MUST visit...even if it is just to taste their frozen margaritas!
Worth the wait and experience we received! Absolutely delicious food and we about to get takeaways. The raving recommendations that we got to visit you guys was no lie! Cannot wait to sit down again!
Deeply addictive margaritas, awesome vibe, super friendly staff and delicious Mexican food.
Always get the Flauta...there is no better choice.
Oh my goodness the best Mexican restaurant in Cape Town 10/10 do recommend. My favourite thing is just the tortillas they use - they’re buttery and flaky like a paratha - and the nachos, which taste kind of like paaper bites. Weird but so good. Portions are massive, so even though everything’s like R100 you get enough for lunch the next day.
I’ve been wanting to come here for a while now, so yesterday I called to make a booking for that evening. The man on the other end of the line was super friendly and very accommodating to my request to not be seated near a doorway or anywhere too noisy/busy as we wanted to enjoy our date night.
The table we were seated at was in a quiet area near the window, but when the manager on duty saw how tall Zen is, he offered to move us to the other end of the row where there was a bit more space for Zen to move his chair back & have more leg room. I thought this was really kind of him and I was also super happy that Zen wouldn’t be kicking my ankles the whole night. The first word that comes to mind is “unpretentious”, you get to eat good food while watching the crazy nightlife of the obz regulars in a clean restaurant. Winner.
We started with the lemon & strawberry mixed frozen margarita jug (1.8l can fill up 6 glasses), 4 Chilli poppers & guac and salsa, which both came with their own portion of chips.
The Chilli poppers are halved jalapeños filled with gooey cheese, wrapped in some sort of crispy pastry. Not like spring rolls, but more like a flour tortilla deep fried until crispy. This had great chewy texture, but was also super crunchy. The jalapeño had just the right amount of spice and the gooey cheese was not overpowering or messy. Heat of the jalapeños were offset by the sour cream and guac they’re served with.
The salsa was a bit sweet, but after the heat of the jalapeños it was welcomed. The guac is very smooth, not chunky at all, which made it feel more like a spread rather than a dip. It was still super fresh and tasty, regardless of the consistency. The nachos are house made I think, not like the regular supplier bought ones every Mexican place in CT has. They’re super crunchy, not oily and lightly seasoned with some sort of aromat style spice.
For mains I had the arroz con pollo (chicken with rice and refried beans) and Zen had a flauta (basically a deep fried burrito) the waitress informed us that he could get two fillings when ordering the large portion, so we opted for beef and chicken. Both meals were a bit bland and lacking some sort of fresh, crunchy’ness . The flauta only had some kick after you ate each bite with the minimal lettuce, cheese & salsa that it comes topped with. The beans and rice needed a bit of help from the salt shaker, but even that didn’t help a great deal.
The portions are huge so we took home nachos & dips, and more than half our mains, which is great for an easy lunch the next day, especially after having a jug of those margaritas (which were extremely tasty, and had the right amount of sweetness and sourness from the mix of strawberry and lime. The best I’ve ever had)
The restaurant itself is kept pretty clean and tidy. The bathrooms are located at the very back of the restaurant and through two doors, so it is a bit of a mission to get to. There are also only two of them, and for such a big seater restaurant that could cause lines out both doors on a busy night. The manager came to check on us twice during the evening and our waitress (Bongi) was extremely friendly and attentive.
The only reason I didn’t give this place 5 stars is that while the portions are big and the prices pocket friendly, the mains were nothing to write home about and ended up tasting the same. The food just needs an injection of something crunchy or a tangy slaw, something to bump up the freshness, otherwise it does get a bit heavy.
Luca van der Westhuizen
+5
Feels as if I went for a trip to South America. Vibes are great. Very hidden but don’t let that deter you. Food was great, drinks were also really nice. Not too expensive, which is great for a dine or date for students. I definitely recommend their guacamole and chips omg everyone ordered it.
Fantastic Mexican restaurant. Owners managed to squeeze us in on a Friday evening without a reservation. The food was absolutely amazing. Nice lively atmosphere.
Still the best Mexican restaurant in Cape Town. All items on the menu is full of flavor and mouth watering. Don't forget to add jug(s) of Frozen Margarita to your order, this will definitely complete the experience.
What a lovely place to visit, cozy 😊 and the hosts were great. We had an absolute blast here on Saturday.
Very accommodating
My most favorite restaurant ever! Food, service and atmosphere always top notch! Great value for money as well.
If I could give 10 stars, I would🤩 Everything about Panchos was perfect, the food, the service, the atmosphere. Not to mention the margaritas, sooo yummy. I have to recommend the mixed margaritas, so sour and juicy🍓🍋 I’m definitely coming back, cannot recommend it enough!
Oh my! What do I say.. This place is amazing. The vibe is a thing on its own😍 and the service is awesome! Everybody is so friendly and caring.
Really would recommend!!!
Please come and enjoy the experience with all the staff!!! 😁💃
And Aubrey please stay just as you are!! You are amazinggg! Love your friendly smile and service!!🤩
This is such a great restaurant for for authentic mexican food. The restaurant has been serving patrons for a few decades! Thw vibe and atmosphere is great, the decor quirky and food delicious plus such good value for money. The restaurant is made up of various rooms, so you will never feel too claustrophobic. There is a security gate foe added safety. The entrance isn't strictly wheelchair accessible but it is doable up one step. Parking is a bit more of a challenge in the busy neighborhood.
Ponchos in Observatory is a culinary fiesta! The vibrant atmosphere, curated by Restauranteur’s Richard and John, sets the stage for an exceptional dining experience. Chris, the manager, orchestrates impeccable service he is incredibly friendly and just a complete delight! Our Awesome Waitron Aubrey clinched the deal 😊
The menu is a symphony of Mexican delights, each dish a flavorful masterpiece.
The sensational Vegan Butternut Flauta is absolutely amazing.
The Margarita’s are exceptional.
The atmosphere is indescribably desirable.
You have NOT yet fulfilled True Gastronomic delight IF you have not been. “This” said from a hypercritical Fussy Vegan
I had chicken enchilada and margarita slush. Enchilada was tasty, maybe a bit too crispy. Sauce and cheese paired nicely. One can choose smaller or bigger one, I took smaller one and it was enough. Margarita slush was tasty, but too sweet for me, reminded me the artificial flavors:) but it is nice sometimes for fun. Service was pleasant, quick.
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