such an amazing atmosphere! The drinks and food were amazing & our waiter Denise was so attentive to us! I will be back ! :)

Kassandra was great! Super friendly, attentive, and brought us some bomb food. Awesome service!

Kassandra was a great server. She was friendly, checked in on us the right amount, and made sure we had everything we needed. Our food and drinks came out quickly, and she helped make the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. We really appreciated her good attitude and attention to detail. Thanks, Kassandra! read more

This place has been on my "must-try" list ever since I heard they had soft serve margaritas, and let me just say this: PANCHOS DID NOT DISAPPOINT! It came with a shot on the side for those that wanted theirs stronger. I didn't indulge because it was perfect just the way it was presented, in my opinion. I would go back, order 10 soft serve margaritas, and leave happily. The service was great and the food was good. I tried the elote bites and carne asada fries. The elote bites were sweeter than I expected, but I'm not sure if that was a good or bad thing tbh. The carne asada fries were spicier than I thought and I was pleasantly surprised by that. However, I wish the presentation was better. I'd suggest pico de gallo on top and a lime wedge on the side to brighten up the dish, add a touch of freshness, and take this dish from good to great! Overall, I had a pleasant experience. I would definitely come back and try something new! That soft serve margarita, however, will forever be ordered so long as it's available for purchase. read more

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We came here to celebrate my bff's birthday, she lives in China and is here visiting for a few weeks. Fatima, our waitress was swamped, she had at least 19 tables, bless her heart, she was trying. We had a reservation for 20 people, but after 30 minutes, restaurant policy, if your full party is not there, they have to start taking table and chairs, understandable. As soon as Fatima took the tables and chairs, our party arrived. Maybe because our waitress was swamped, she was unable to remove empty dishes from the table and they started piling up. The tables are already small, so space is limited. I had the borracho barbacoa fries, tasty, the barbacoa was a little bland for me, but with the cheese, guacamole, jalapeños and tomatoes, they were okay. The guava margarita and the passion fruit margarita were very weak. I tasted 4 different mango margaritas ordered by our party and they all tasted different, some were too sweet, some were weak and some were just right. No separate checks and only 1 card... HORRIBLE. Overall, I doubt if I come back. Chicago has far too many rooftop and Mexican restaurants for subpar service, drinks and atmosphere. read more

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Food: 4/5 Service: 2.5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 I'd heard so much about Pancho's and their famous soft serve margaritas, so I was excited to finally try it. My boyfriend and two of my friends joined me for happy hour. One of my friends and I decided to split the strawberry mango soft serve margarita, which was $16, and we also ordered a raspberry mojito along with the passionfruit, watermelon, and strawberry margaritas on the rocks from the happy hour menu. The soft serve margarita was definitely fun and Instagram-worthy, but I was a little disappointed with how it was served. The tequila comes as a separate shot for you to pour in yourself, and once it's added, the soft serve loses its consistency almost immediately and turns into more of a liquid, similar to a melted smoothie. Because the tequila isn't mixed in, it can also be difficult to get an even flavor throughout the drink. It was still good, just not quite as great as the hype made it seem. The raspberry mojito was refreshing, and the happy hour margaritas were flavorful and a much better value. It's worth noting that the soft serve margarita and mojito are not included in the happy hour specials. For food, we shared the Elote Bites and chips with queso. The Elote Bites were flavorful with a great balance of crema, cotija cheese, paprika, and lime, and they were easily the highlight of the meal. The atmosphere is lively and energetic, especially if you're looking for a fun spot downtown. However, the service left a lot to be desired. We found the staff to be less friendly than expected, and the overall experience didn't feel particularly welcoming. The bathroom location was also a little awkward, as it's tucked behind the area where servers are entering and placing orders. One thing that stood out was the reservation policy. They require a credit card to hold your reservation and have a strict 10-minute grace period before giving away your table. Because of that, it was surprising when we arrived on time and still had to wait because our table wasn't ready. It wasn't a long wait, but it felt a little odd given how strict the reservation rules are. Overall, Pancho's is a fun place to check out at least once, especially if you've been curious about the soft serve margarita. The drinks and atmosphere were enjoyable, but the service and reservation experience kept it from fully living up to the hype for me. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First come, first serve vibe with reservation attitude. I had high hopes for this spot because it's in my neighborhood and could be a cool regular patio spot however was disappointed. Starters, the host wasn't welcoming. I went on a Sunday, all day happy hour, and it was completely booked for the day. The host advised we could wait by the bar and if a table opened up she'd come to get us. We stood by the bar for a good 15 mins and were able to get a seat. A few tables opened up so we thought she'd grab us soon, so we just got a drink to start. As more tables opened, she never came so we just ordered food. There were tables with "reserved" signs open the entire time were there, never was offered a table. The food was typically bar food, nothing special. They have a seasonal soft serve margarita that everyone was ordering but it's not on any menu and no one mentioned it to us. We tried it eventually and it's the only good thing on the menu. Seems like they are just understaffed and can't keep up with the rush, maybe they'll get it together in the future but I wouldn't rush to get there. read more

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Came for the soft serve margarita launch day (4/18). Drinks are strong but lack any real fruit flavor--both the margarita and strawberry Long Island tasted mostly like mix and tequila. Service was slow, but the food was hot and really good. The rooftop vibe and music are a plus, so I'd come back for that. Be prepared--it gets very crowded. The bar area was packed with barely any room to move, which felt like a safety issue. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Soft serve margarita - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was excited to try this place out and was surprised how much I was underwhelmed. Foremost, I was saddened by the fact that a place called Pancho's cantina only carried one mezcal. Even with getting past that the food wasn't good. The guacamole didn't taste fresh at all. I ordered the pastor burrito and asked for it to have rice. There was a miscommunication and when my burrito showed up it had a side of rice and beans. Okay I take a bite and realize there's no rice in my burrito, I flagged the server and she insisted there was rice, when I then open the burrito and say nothing there isn't she literally just looked at me. After sitting for I called her back over and sent the plate back not only wasn't it how I ordered it, its taste wasn't good and I couldn't just muster through it. I don't even feel it makes up in ambiance what it lacked in food and service, bar area is cute but views are not. I walked away thinking I don't think I'd come back. I was hoping for my experience to be great because my wife talks very highly of experiences here from when she previously lived here but maybe that place doesn't exist anymore like it once did: read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon and there was plenty of seating. The servers are helpful and the vibes are awesome. There are plenty of seatings both at the bar and along the wall of windows. The music is lively. The views are cool and there are heaters to keep you warm on those cold days. I didn't try any food but the cocktails looked awesome! I got the Tamarindo Cantarito and it tasted like a Mexican candy! Super delicious and aesthetically pleasing for social media! Crazy enough, if you take a pic and share it to Socials and tag Pancho's, you'll get a free shot of tequila! Come check it out and have fun with it! read more

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Pros: the happy hour menu is an excellent deal, the margaritas are good, and the soft serve margarita is worth the hype. Cons: This has already been stated here, but the soft serve margarita takes an insanely long time to receive. We waited 1 and a half hours from ordering. Honestly, they should not offer it until they are at a place where they can make these in a reasonable amount of time. Soft serve margarita wait-time aside, our waitress completely disappeared for 45 minutes after we had received the soft serve margarita, and we eventually had to flag down another server who then had to hunt down our waitress in order for us to be able to order to pay. It doesn't appear that customer service is prioritized here. read more

This review is ONLY about the drinks. Waitress was amazing and food was ok. Went here for Mother's Day brunch and there is NO way these big ass drinks had more than a shot in them, if even that. For $15 a piece I should have felt at least something but two in and the group consensus was there was little to no alcohol in there read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Big drinks, nothing but juice... - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I ate here last night and had a wonderful experience! We got there quite late, and starving, after a long day of being tourists and they kept the kitchen open for us. I had an excellent Cantorito in an adorable goblet and my friend had a tasty strawberry no-jito. My Texcoco Tacos were fantastic, and might have been the best tacos I've ever had. They were so flavorful! We also shared some guac and chips that were really good too, and my friend had the barbacoa burrito, which she really enjoyed. The rooftop ambience was lovely with the city lit up at night and the service was very friendly. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Cantorito - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our visit started off shaky. We were first in line but somehow seated behind everyone in said line. We were seated in a frigid area and asked for the heaters to be turned on; they obliged for a while then turned them off again. Of course the wait was 15 minutes longer to be served after everyone. We ordered a sangria and peach margarita, guacamole and chips, elote, carne asada tacos dinner, steak fajitas, and churros. When we received our meal, I can't say it made up for the poor service. The standouts were the drinks: the sangria and peach margarita were excellent. The carne asada tacos were also pretty good. Everything else was barely edible. It's a nice place to go for drinks...maybe. read more

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My daughter and I came back for a late evening dinner. The main floor was closed but the rooftop was open. It is enclosed but the large windows were open and it was a bit chilly. We were seated right away despite it being busy on this Friday night. Music was blasting and people were enjoying. She had the carne asada fries which she really liked the first time and I had the taco dinner again but with shrimp this time. Delicious!! They were spicy but very good. $35 for two meals. We were content. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came in and we had to make a reservation but there were plenty of tables around. The girl at the front was really rude. So we made one just 10 minutes later and sat down. We had to ask for the happy hour menu which is all day Sunday but it's mostly drinks. We mostly came here for the soft serve margaritas and I would say it is really really strong and didn't really have much flavor of the strawberry or mango. That's why I give it a 3/5, but if you like a strong drink this might be your go to. Presentation is nice though. I didn't even finish it or rather just took tasted it. The elotes bites was alright it was really tangy. We got sat on a high top and it was cold because the windows are kind of open. read more

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Drinks are great -- the tamarindo cantarito is sweet and tart with just the right amount of chamoy. The classic cantarito was stronger and a little more acidic / bitter but good nonetheless. Interestingly, when we walked in Spanish music was playing and when we were sat, it immediately stopped. There was an eclectic mix of country music and indie sounds being played. With songs sometimes being cut off in the middle. Pancho's is loud; service was slow the day we visited; and the vibes are by no means traditional. read more

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came here for the soft serve margs and they did not disappoint! all their drinks were really good and pretty strong. the interior looked really pretty and was fun vibes. the elevator was a little slow but it's either wait for that or walk up/down 4 flights of stairs. the food wasn't the best especially for the price as it came a bit cold and was pretty salty. id return for the drinks, service, and vibes but i probably wouldn't order food. read more

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Food was okay, service was amazing, and the drinks were good too. I would come back just for the drinks and appetizers alone. read more

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Lots of Hype, instagram popularity. Great place for pictures for 20 somethings, adults and foodies stay away !

Would not really recommend (dinner). Stopped by on a Saturday night for a quick sit down before heading out for a night in the town. Had to take elevator up to 3rd floor where the main dining area is. It seemed like a chill spot good for casual gatherings. We were sat at one of the high top tables, but here is where it started. From the time we were sat to the time our server first stopped by was 15 minutes. Another staff had to come by and ask us if anybody came and we told her no until our server came. Looking at their menu, they had a moderate variety of options, nothing too much. I ordered the Surf and Turf Burrito (had steak and shrimp), with extra rice (since I don't eat beans). I noticed that the rice was different, not just in the burrito but on the side as well. It was plain, lacked taste, and it affected the burrito as well. I would give it overall a 5.7/10, that green sauce that it came with definitely stole the show, saved the meal if I'm being honest. Our food came out, the server didn't even come out to ask how our food was before going back (and I know what your thinking, it was not as busy when we went, the dining floor was around 60% full and there were 3-4 other servers working as well so it is justified to expect somewhat timely service). Mix that in with sub-mediocre food, this is probably a place I won't be coming back to. Can try it yourself or come to grab some drinks if you want, at your own discretion with the food. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Surf and Turn Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The wings here have no business being this good!! The bone in wings here are insane, they fall off the bone!! And they are made so quick! My favorite sauce ever is the mango habernero from here! It isn't too spicy but is has the perfect kick! The buffalo is also great! Seriously the best wings! I keep coming back every game day! read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - 12 piece bone in Mango habernero and buffalo - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Well I knew it was going to be bad when we were waiting for our table by the elevator, there's no room for waiting. While waiting they had a tub where they put the old plates/food which reeked. Why would you leave that right by the entrance people come into the bar?? So we were finally sat at a high top right across from the elevators where you come in. Our table was wobbly so I asked the hostess at the stand for some napkins She told me I had to go to the bar and get napkins instead of going to get the napkins for me seeing that I was the customer. So I end up having to put the napkin underneath the table so that it wouldn't wobble while over there getting napkins I noticed that it was warmer on that side by the bar and very very cold where we were sitting. So I asked the same lady to turn the heat on which she obliged but then maybe 20 minutes later the heat was off so we were cold again. Mind you I asked if we could be moved by the bar where it was warmer and she said no she'll turn the heat on. So we ordered guacamole, nachos elote, steak fajitas, steak tacos, and churros. For some reason they brought the churros out with our meal and we wanted them for dessert so we asked them to take them back until we was ready for them. Which they did. So this food is Tex-Mex and it is by far the nastiest food I have tried. I couldn't even finish my steak fajitas because it has some nasty aftertaste to it the meat taste bad. My daughter had the nachos She had maybe two bites out of them. She said those were nasty. My friend did eat all her steak tacos which I did try, and that steak tasted so much better than the steak I had in my fajitas. The rice taste like boxed rice. My daughter said the elote was the best part of her meal. So we finally asked for the churros to come out. And they brought us burnt churros now I'm just assuming all they did was refry the same churros they had brought us out approximately 20 minutes earlier. We did end up speaking to the manager Tahara or Jahara And I truly appreciate her willing to take off the nachos, the steak fajitas and the churros. And this has nothing to do with her she was very nice but this is by far the worst experience I have ever had at a place of business. read more

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Great vibes on a cold night in the Windy City. The roof top setting is amazing. It's a cold winter night but the atmosphere here is fire! The heat was flowing down along side the margs and mojitos. The carne asada burrito was stuffed full of flavorful ingredients and big enough to satisfy this big man's hunger. Paired with a side of the freshest and most flavorful Mexican street corn I have ever had, it absolutely crushed my hunger pangs to death. The food was fantastic and the staff was very attentive. I can't wait to come back here in the warmer months to experience the open air vibes! read more

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Couldn't get in because I didn't have reservations and it was 7 tables open with no one waiting. They said they didn't have anymore reservations for the day and I was there at 5:30. I went to my car to make reservations and they had 3 reservations for later in the day. I didn't RSVP because I didn't like how they lied to me in my face. I'd rather spend my money else where. read more

Wish I could give them 0 starts. The customer service is horrible. I went with a friend 5/31/26, We didn't have a RSVP, but was told the bar was first come first serve. There were no seats at the bar and the staff paid my friend and I no attention. It was just us 2 girls. You couldn't even get the female bar staff's attention. Were told we could wait for a table, then they pushed two tables together for a bigger party that walked in after us. What was more irritating, is that when I looked around and noticed the people that were begging for the bartenders attention, we were ALL African American. I feel like this was intentional. We laughed after 30 minutes of never being addressed by the bar staff and went to La Mejikana on Ashland w/awesome service and great food. Pancho's is so small which is one thing, but having terrible service on purpose is another! read more

This was genuinely one of the most terrible restaurant experiences I've had. I decided to try something new so I tried Pancho's. Never again. The food was overcooked and felt like it was missing flavor. The service was TERRIBLE. Our waiter must have had a bad day or something because she seemed to give us attitude over small things we asked her to do. For example, she literally rolled her eyes when we asked for extra straws. Just out of her mind. And don't even get me started on how the place was cleaned. There were crumbs all over the table that we had to wipe ourselves with nearby napkins. There were random stains on the walls and on the floor. Never again. Don't recommend. ZERO out of ten. read more

I came here on a Wednesday night, around 8:30pm. The rooftop looks really cool, but the lighting made it difficult to see what it was I was eating. There was also a lot of bugs since it's outdoors, I think one even flew into my back. The service was okay, it didn't stand out to me, but it wasn't awful. We ordered the carne asada fries which were spicier than I had expected. My friend and I got the mango frozen margarita. We originally wanted the frozen piña colada, but the waitress told us they were out of it. Overall, I would want to come back during the day and order something different. Or just stick to this rooftop for drinks. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Margarita mango frozen - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We appreciated the hosted accommodating our party of 6 without reservation. We only went for the slushy margarita and slushy espresso martini. Place is busy which is a good sign. The espresso martini slushy was just like eating soft serve ice-cream. Didn't taste any alcohol. It was a good amount of slushy. It tasted good but don't expect much alcohol. Margarita slushy does come with a side of shot. Food looked good but we did not have any since we only came for drinks. Will try the food next time. read more

The server was sweet at Pancho's even though we were barely greeted by the host. This was our first time here and the rooftop was closed even though the weather was relatively warm. They said it was under construction. Overall the food was mediocre -- I'm sure people come here for drinks more than food. Our group received great service and loved the music. read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Elote appetizer seemed like a good idea but it was not exactly the fresh elote we had in mind - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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if you're interested in semi-decent mexican-american food, this is the place to go. unfortunately, the elevator was out of service, so we had to walk up five flights of stairs just to get seated. other than that, the waiters were very attentive to our needs, refilling water constantly and asking us for updates. our orders were taken quickly, and our food came out after about 10 minutes of waiting. the chips and salsa were very good, and the salsa had a pretty decent kick to them. the tacos could have been skipped, as the chicken tinga was just watery and slightly bland. their salsa verde definitely saved its flavor profile. my friends weren't too happy with their burgers/sandwiches, but was sort of expected. would rather travel to a more authentic mexican restaurant, especially considering this place was slightly expensive. read more

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The vibes were very cute and I liked the space itself, but the margaritas were terrible. I ordered the regular margarita and the drink itself tasted really salty. We saw them creating the mix for the margaritas behind the bar, so it makes sense that these aren't homemade margaritas. My friend couldn't finish her peach margarita because how bad it tasted. The food people ordered around us didn't look great. This might be more of a place that is better for beer and maybe "coke and rum" type of drinks. read more

Loved this bar! Loved the crispy, small and fresh wings! Ambiance was fun and funky! Good for groups and crowds! Service was good. Solid spot, we're coming back for the chicken wings for sure! We walked over, randomly on a Sunday, right after they opened... we had a good time! Walk-In and was sat immediately... on Sunday afternoon, I'm sure they can get busy! read more

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We had a great time on the roof, and the soft serve margs hit the spot! Our server Kassy was so sweet & was really attentive. Would come back for the elote bites! :) read more

When we entered the establishment, we requested a high top table, in which they did find one available but then had to let us know that reservation are often the way to get the table we wanted in which was unnecessary to imply if we got lucky to get the table we wanted. We sat down, server gave us water but didn't even greet us , no hi , no hello , came back around to ask if we were "ready" after i directly made eye contact with the server. When we ordered our soft serve margaritas, they implied they were none refundable? Made me think the drink wasn't good and came off a little blunt to think we'd return the beverage. After a while we got what we ordered not too long of a wait. The drinks were good & the food was good ( that's why these at least a few stars) We tried the soft serve margaritas, very different to what we expected but good! read more

Nieves was our server and was very attentive! She always checked in our table during a very busy Friday night. We enjoyed the atmosphere and vibes were great. read more

Pancho's is a great place for a drink on a nice day. Kassy was our server and she was great! read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had heard of it this prior but hadn't gotten a chance to stop by - it's in the heart of the loop tucked away on a side street. Upon entering we were greeted and sat down and were so lucky to catch their Happy Hour! Super good pricing on their drinks so I highly recommend if you're in area around HH times (check online). Their nachos were pretty tasty! Didn't skimp on anything which is always appreciated and the toppings were good. I'd come again! read more

Pancho's Cantina & Rooftop - Chicken Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Terrible service. My table requested waters when we first sat down and never received them. Watched every table around us get waters. Food was cold and didn't taste good. Came for soft serve margaritas and was told there was a 2 hour wait. A table next to us gave us theirs because they'd waited so long for them that they had to leave. They weren't good. Taste like alcoholic milk. No fruit taste at all. Restaurant was loud and smelled like sewage. read more

I so enjoy dining here. The servers are the friendliest people, the food divine rather you select a traditional Latin dish or American cuisine which is offered, you can't go wrong! A vibrant and energetic restaurant--enjoy! read more