Looking for good Mexican cuisine? Check. Friendly service? Yup. Fresh ingredients? Got 'em! Allergy sensitivity knowledge (including GF/celiac)? Absolutely. Worth a visit? Definitely! Good drinks? Sorry, I didn't try them (yet). Fun location? Not so much. I went here as the reviews for GF Mexican were good. Pancho's was a hit with my family! The Panchos tacos were so fresh and flavorful as was the combo with chorizo burrito and a chimichanga plus two other items, rice, and beans. Don't forget the jalapeño cornbread (not spicy at all)-so surprisingly delicious! One of the owners explained she was strictly GF herself and they were among the most carefully prepared, marked, and packaged meals we have had. Their location is near Target in a strip mall, so you won't find excitement nearby. But you will find good food. Enjoy! read more

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Service was good but food was disappointing. The chips and salsa came straight out of the fridge and cold. The salsa was flavorless. The spicy sweet plantains wrapped in bacon tasted also premade and dried out. The chimmichanga wasn't crispy enough and a bit salty and just warm and not hit. The birria taco was OK. The consomme that came with it lacked flavor as well. It definitely needed some more tang and spices. Pretty much everything seemed pre-made and reheated. The reason this was given 2 stars is because the staff were all professional and our host/waiter was very nice and attentive and the restaurant was clean. I hope they improve with the food quality. read more

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AMAZING SERVICE, basically four full drinks on the marg flight for only 30 dollars. Plus pop ups and such amazing service. Truly one of the best restaurants I've been to. 10/10 Should go. Dessert was also amazing. Ask for Julie she was the best!! read more

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Ponchos was delicious! Great service and great food. The staff was so courteous and attentive. Thank you Julie!!! read more

Pancho's Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Wilmington, Massachusetts

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Food was minute rice and canned beans.. unbelievable. We live in an area where food is plentiful and delicious. Do not go here

While the staff was very nice, the food overall was bland. Worse, we have a food allergy: shellfish. We sit down, someone brings us chips and salsa and tells us our waiter will be by shortly. My daughter grabs a chip and starts eating it. The waiter comes up and the first thing we say is she has a shellfish allergy. He says "Oh, we only have one fryer here. Does that mean shrimp? We fry everything in that fryer with the shrimp. Even the chips." My daughter instantly nearly had a panic attack. She had thankfully only eaten half of one, but they informed us that for the kids meals she couldn't have the french fries because, again, one fryer. We spent most of the meal watching her for any reaction. But on top of the anxiety-inducing meal, it was Saturday night, kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal, and we were charged for 2 kids meals with our 2 adult meals. We were so done with the place and worried about reactions that we didn't stay to debate and just left. It's a shame because we'd wondered about this place for a long time and were thrilled to see it open while we were in the area, but we won't be back. read more

Hello there, Starting with the service, the lady who welcomed us, she was nice and asked us where want to seat ( bar or booth). The waiter who served us was also nice and friendly. We ordered tacos and fajitas. It was delicious! I was worried that it wouldn't be enough but I had to ask for doggie bag. I just felt a little cold inside the restaurant but overall I had a great time with my husband. read more

The jalapeño corn bread is awesome. I had tilapia salad that was incredibly fresh and high quality. Husband's tacos were excellent. Service was also excellent. Sorry - no pics because food gone :-) read more

Great food Exceptional service Fair prices Plenty of parking Great selection of beverages read more

Not our 1st visit, have been a few times before and both food and service were good. Unfortunately this time both were not good. Arrived to a 1/2 empty restaurant on a Thursday night, placed our appetizer and entree order waited 30 minutes for appetizer to arrive. Another 30 minutes for the entree to which was incorrect, waitress returns the food only for us to wait another 15 minutes for new food. While food tasted ok, the quantity has decreased and prices increased. This will be our last visit, there are much better Mexican restaurants out there that offer better tasting, larger quantities for a fair price. read more

Fresh and delicious. Wonderful staff and clean surroundings. Ask for the top shelf margarita.

I found out the head cook was from CA so I had high hopes that it would be somewhat authentic, but it was just as bland and uneventful as any other Mexican restaurant in New England. I ordered my food to go, but that's no excuse for sub par food. I asked about the 'mini burrito' and I was told it had lettuce, tomato, cheese, rice, sour cream and chorizo. It was only beans and cheese. The enchilada had very little sauce, and was nearly 'frozen' as if they expected me to bake it at home (?) The rice was undercooked and crunchy, plus they charged me for hot sauce. I highly doubt this chef is from CA, because that's where I just moved here from and I can make better Mexican food with my eyes blindfolded. read more

Pancho's Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Wilmington, Massachusetts

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I rate a place on it's salsa. And I really dislike this place's salsa. There wasn't really any flavor, sadly. Or any heat. It was watery tomato sauce. I did like the tricolored Mexican tortilla chips, though as a festive touch. I ordered a rice bowl as an homage to what I like at Chipotle. Couldn't have been farther from fresh. The rice was overcooked, mushy and of poor quality. The beef was fatty, and the toppings tasted like they came out of a bag. I asked for an avocado or lime dressing to give it a bit lighter feel. But it didn't help. Hubby got the chimichanga and didn't have any complaints. Probably wouldn't try again read more

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FIrst of all, the owners of this restaurant are incredibly friendly and really want to please their clientele. The food is very good and appropriately priced. The selection is also very good. Unfortunately, this is where the review goes down hill. Service at Pancho's is absolutely horrible. I arrived and sat down. Chips and salsa were brought to the table. Nice! We expected to be asked what we wanted to drink but the server disappeared after bringing the chips. We waited about 10 minutes when someone came and took our drink order. We told the server that we were ready to order and the server told us that they would take our order after bringing the drinks. He returned about 10 minutes later with our drinks (which were very good.) He took our order. While we chatted amongst ourselves, the first round of drinks were done. There was not a server around to take another order. So we waited and nobody came by. Forty-five minutes later our food arrived. It was hot and pretty good. We asked for another round of drinks and got them about 10 minutes later. We enjoyed the food and one of the members of our party really wanted some water. She never got it but then the bill came. We paid and left. So in total, it took an hour to get us our food. Overall value: Good $$ Drink quality: Excellent Food quality: Very Good Service: Very Poor Ambiance: Good but loud Would I return? Absolutely, but not when I am in a hurry. read more

If you are looking for a local spot with a warm inviting atmosphere, EXCELLENT food and AMAZING service then this is your new favorite. Trust me, you will not find a better option. Try it once...love it for life! This is the best Mexican food that I've tasted in the US. Put away your passport, come to Pancho's! read more

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I've ordered from here a few times and my order has been wrong 3/3 times. The food that was correct was good which is why I've given second and third tries ordering from here. read more

Delicious, fresh and plentiful! The drinks are varied and awesome and the service is great- friendly! The prices and excellent as are the meal Choices! Try the Tacos de Weenie! And ask for the Coconut Mohito! Tacos De Weenie Carne Asada Tacos read more

EXCELLENT take-out from Panchos as always! Jalico Combo with Enchilada Carne Asada, Chimichanga with shredded.chicken, & Tostada with shredded chicken, Durango Chimichanga with shredded chicken, Durango Burrito with Barbacoa, Panchos House Tacos, Churros and a Mexicam Coke! SO GOOD! read more

Pancho's Cantina - 1/16/21 Delicious Take-Out from Panchos - Mexican Near Me - Wilmington, Massachusetts

It's in a underwhelming area with cafeteria style interior. Too much tile and echo. Not crowded at all on a Saturday night. Everyone in my party loved the food. Mixed drinks were nothing special. Beer list mexican. Whatever you do, don't order the veggie quesadilla. I asked for no peppers. I got something like you make when you have no food in your house but a bag of frozen veggies, cheese and a tortilla. There were supposed to be mushrooms and onions also. This is what I saw. Green beens, peas, lima beans, corn. See picture. Gross! Waitress was apologetic and did credit meal. I just want to know what kitchen uses frozen veggies in Mexican food? Boo! read more

Pancho's Cantina - Gross - Mexican Near Me - Wilmington, Massachusetts

The place was dead on a Saturday night, and still our service was very slow. Food was so sad. Looked and tasted like cafeteria food. Really regret coming here. read more

My wife and I headed out to Pancho's last Friday night for a quick margarita. However, we ended up meeting the owner, Fonzi, and having a flight of tequilas. Now, technically, flights are not on the menu but Fonzi was more than happy to set us up with a silver, reposado, anejo, and an extra anejo. He gave us a quick history of tequila, the process of making it, and the difference between the types. Fonzi is super friendly, warm, knowledgeable, and hospitable. His wife, Julie, who is equally warm, outgoing, and cordial, came over and we had a great conversation. Their passion for food and the restaurant business is palpable. We have eaten at Pancho's before with our kids and that experience was phenomenal as well. My family loves Mexican food and this is our favorite spot. In a town where pizza and chain coffee and donut shops reign supreme, it's fantastic to have Pancho's add to the (very small but) growing number of independent, delicious, and distinctive restaurants. I would highly recommend this family owned restaurant to anyone who is looking to escape the chain restaurants and partake in some high quality Mexican fare. We love Pancho's!! read more

Service was good, food was good, drinks were fantastic and everything was very clean . I loved that at their takeout pickup area they had sanitizer and clean/ used pen cups. Now the good stuff, the food!! I love me a good street corn and these did not disappoint, the crema and the queso fresco was delicious. My only knock on those was that for my personal taste the corn needed some salt, the bites you didn't get the crema with I felt missed some flavor. My fish tacos were good, but I found myself wishing I had ordered the quesadilla that my husband ordered it was SO good!!! We will definitely be back!! read more

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Was here last Saturday night around 6pm, place was pretty empty Drink service was slow and the the margaritas were very syrupy once they did arrive Food was almost inedible , all the rice was hard and crunchy and the meat was non existent in all dishes ordered The steak sandwich was literally 4 little pieces of steak covered in queso with some shredded lettuce and a tomato slice. The fries served with it were little morsels that seemed like they been fried a few times Been here 4 times now, once it was ok, twice it was inedible Probably wont ever go back read more

This was our first time here and it was awesome! Great hospitality, food and drinks! Definitely would recommend coming here for guaranteed good food and vibes! Honestly, the bartender/owner was phenomenal! Can't wait to come back! read more

In the last month since our dine-in experience, we have gotten takeout twice and both times everything really went without a hitch! I still think the staff has the GS (gluten sensitive) thing confused; there is definitely one person that answers the phone that thinks it is the opposite of what it is, but I was able to speak to the manager tonight to fully clarify. She has Celiac!! They DO get gluten free, you just have to make sure it's noted. They only write Gluten Sensitive on the menu because it isn't a dedicated facility. Ok, so as I noted before, the food is seriously good!! The tacos have been legit perfect three times in a row now, with delicious crema, a generous amount of avocado in the grilled chicken tacos, and really a good assembly in general. How many times have you gotten takeout tacos only to have them flopping around--a total mess? Not here!! They carefully place them in the container so you can open them up and neatly eat them at home. To me, this is a little detail that tells me the kitchen is paying attention. My husband reports that the fish tacos were 'absolutely delicious.' We are loving this place now! read more

Great food and great service! My only complaint would be how bright the lights were during dinner hours

Fantastic service! Our waiter Louis was top-notch and extremely attentive. The food was great, the salsa is like crack, can't get enough of it. Our entree's where ordered w/ special instructions and the chef didn't disappoint. By far my new favorite local Cantina! Will be back again soon for sure! read more

Pancho's Cantina - Beef Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Wilmington, Massachusetts

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I have been here twice, and I really like it. I am a little surprised by how harsh some of these reviews are, but both times I went were within the last few weeks, so maybe they are just now getting it together. This place is still kind of new. I got fish tacos last time and the salmon torta this time, both are bomb. This place has super good french fries. There are gluten free and gluten sensitive items, but a surprising lack of vegetarian and vegan options - they def got to step up their game with veggie options. The staff is super nice, the decor is cool, and the food is really good. They also have a wide selection of mule drinks. I tried the Texas Mule (with pineapple and jalapeño) and that was legit. read more

(3.75) ~ Good Overall Lunch(a la carte) & Service MENU: ** Chips & Salsa = (4) very good ** Elotes = (4) very good & enough to share ** House Hot Sauce(Green & Orange) = (4) both very good * Water(tap) = (3.75) Good, but must be filtered;) * Steak Fajitas = (3.75) Good, but the steak was too chewy, suggest they marinate it more or buy better cuts;) * Churros w. Caramel Sauce = (3.75) Good * Flan = (3.25) pretty good read more

We literally just had lunch here, sat at the bar and had a great time! The place was empty when we came in but I think it has to do with the location. By the time we left there were four other parties eating. In terms of location, It's in a weird little shopping plaza with other eateries but it's not easy to get in/out of the parking lot. Either way, a few notes on the food... All of the tortillas were homemade! I was amazed. From the chips to the taco shells, it is all made onsite. The Carne Asada tacos were really really good and you get a lot for your money! My wife had a combo of cheese enchilada, chicken chimichanga, and carne asada taco and enjoyed them as well. We were impressed at the amount of food they gave her for essentially the same price as my three tacos! What a steal. It was all really tasty. The drinks were good too, we had the top shelf margs. I really liked the nice touch of the little Mexican flag in the drink. Not sure what is wrong with the other reviewers. I've been to tons of Mexican places around Wilmington, Wakefield, Burlington, Boston, etc and I think Pancho's stands up to the mix. It is very casual, the music might be a little loud but overall I really liked it. The bar was very large and had a number of TVs around it, which would make for a great place to watch a game. Shout out to our bartender! She chatted it up with us and gave us some ideas on what to try during our next visit. Looking forward to trying more of the menu. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. I was a party of three that sat down just before 6pm. We were greeted by a friendly hostess who sat us down immediately as there was no wait and plenty of open tables. The menu looked nice and easy to read. We came here because gluten allergy and sensitivity is real problem from our little one. So I give them kudos. We placed our drink order with one waitress and a few moments later a different waitress took our order. We made it very clearly about the allergies. She was happy to oblige with gf. 6:10pm At 6:45pm our food still hadn't been served, however they offered me chips and salsa more times than I could count on my hands and toes. I quietly said we were all set before I lost my temper. 6:59pm food arrives. My little ones tacos were on soft flour tacos.... seriously. We told them hard tacos because they needed to be gluten free. They took them back and came back a few seconds later. Clearly they scrapped the carnitas from the soft taco and put them in a hard shell. Awesome thanks for her well being. She couldn't eat the tacos. Awesome! Thanks for the beans? My dinner was a burrito bowl with grilled chicken... scratch that I got shredded sopping wet chicken that was bogus. My rice was crunchy and the bowl was topped with wet gauc and 5 lbs of sour cream. Needless to say it was awful. My better half had something similar with about the same results. The food here sucks, the wait staff is clearly on level McDonald's.... actually I think they have better customer service. My advice to the owner... come up with a better game plan. Your waitstaff is atrocious, the food is over cooked, soggy, and lack luster in flavor. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. read more

Been here a few times and it may be getting worse. I was hoping it'd get better before leaving a review but I'm not sure if I'm coming back at this point. It's always dead. Tonight, Saturday night, was the busiest I've seen it and it was about half full. Our jalapeño poppers came out cold, and we told the waitress and she just laughed. I think out of pure fright because she didn't seem to know what she was doing. We had to ask to bring it back to get warmed up. On top of it all, they didn't comp us the poppers. Had to ask for silverware and napkins, table was empty. Feels like this place just doesn't get it. Water guy came by to offer water but we had no glasses.... and he didn't bring any by. Our meals were ok, nothing to write home about. Our drinks were super late, like late enough that I forgot we ordered them. And couldn't taste the alcohol, wondering what I paid $12 for! The churros were good, the highlight and why they're getting two, not one, stars. So sad, had high hopes for this place. Maybe they'll figure it out soon. read more

I just loved their fajita quesadillas with shrimp or chicken... and their queso is the best!!

This has been a very appalling experience to say the least. I never once thought I'd be turned away when calling to place an order for take out. I was informed by Patrick that it was "too busy during the dinner rush" for us to place a take out order but was advised that I could come sit at the bar and order drinks at which point I could place an order for take out. How does this make any sense? I would have come early, sat there and ordered a drink anyway but to be refused service...I'm flabbergasted. Someone PLEASE call Jon Taffer from Bar Rescue because it is UNACCEPTABLE to turn away customers. I don't want to bother the waitstaff or kitchen at this fine "restaurant" again in the future so will not bother coming to this establishment ever again. read more

With so many businesses in the area and with thousands of people within 3 miles and a limited*** number of restaurants... I had high hopes for this business but was severely let down. Walked in on a Thursday at 4:30pm and the hostesses just kind of looked at me and were talking and that is when a server came up to me and grabbed one menu. I updated him that there were 5 of us and he then gave me to options and that is when the hostess spoke up and signaled no that one of them were reserved (why didn't you greet me when I walked in... it would have eliminated this awkward situation). I said I am flexible and can sit wherever they had space. I was then just handed all the menus and had to hand them out myself (all 15 of them... too many menus in my opinion). And had to ask for water and two sets of salsa which my whole table had to continuously ask for both as if they were in short supply or something. Multiple servers had come by and either dropped the salsa or the water and after our table had all arrived no one had returned until we asked about 10 minutes into our wait. Then two servers came by and got in a little argument and both left until one came back. We ordered drinks where I was very disappointed in my margarita and the general opinion of the table was mediocre at best for their drinks. And when someone asked about beer options, the server was less knowledgeable than I would have expected. The food was pretty good and the build out of the space was nice and that is why this gets 2 stars really but the whole experience had a few other issues but hopefully they can improve both the experience and the drinks quickly as they are ripe for profit in this area or soon to fail as I don't plan to visit for a bit if ever again. read more

Wow! Food is delicious BUT I've been here three times and three times I've ordered the same thing. Never comes with pico guacamole and sour cream in the beginning. I always have to ask for it. I always order shredded chicken today I got chicken chunks in my food ... very unhappy grilled chicken chunks is just not for me And they never send salsa with the chips!! Atmosphere and bar are cool and trendy Hopefully the kinks and menu will be worked out soon There's really not many choices for food around Ballardvale St read more

I know the place just opened so I will cut a little slack for working out the kinks. Drinks were good. Chips were stale like the humidity got to them. Very chewy. Salsa was great! Service was very good. Waitress was attentive and on point. Food came out fast. The atmosphere and bar area is trendy. I like the windows and natural lighting. As for the food, this is why my review is so low. The rice was mushy and the mixed vegetables in it were freezer burned. Rice should not be overcooked and mushy. Also, I specifically asked for no beans due to dietary/medical reasons in my burrito. I start in on the burrito once it arrived and find whole beans here and there as if they were trying to pick them out in the kitchen. And the rice appears to be mixed together with refried beans in the burrito. So at this point I can't eat it and did not feel like dealing with the hassle of sending it back. The shredded chicken also seemed as though it came from a can or something. If the beans are pre-mixed with the rice at least tell your waitstaff to relay this to your customers. I would have looked for another meal option on the menu if I had known. I hope these are just opening day kinks and the owners can work these issues out with the food. Service and atmosphere were great! read more

Absolutely love this place! Food is delicious as are the drinks. The staff is also so welcoming and kind. We've been twice (and are ordering takeout tonight) and both time Luis waited on us, super attentive and just an all around sweet guy! This is definitely our favorite spot in Wilmington. read more

Delicious food and drink. Little slow serving. Maybe better to get takeout. . Hopefully quicker when I return

This is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. The people are friendly, the atmosphere casual. The Chef is outstanding. The desserts are amazing. The portions are generous. I can't say enough about it. What else can you ask for. read more