Popped into Papa Chano's since we were in a hurry, it was later in the night, and just wanted something easy. It's got that classic, unpretentious taqueria feel--high ceilings, blue rafters, and some cool murals on the walls. Definitely not the place you go for a "scene," but it's spacious and chill. The food hits exactly how you'd expect. I grabbed a Super Taco and a Super Quesadilla. Both were pretty hefty, had plenty of meat, and didn't skimp on the extras like guac and sour cream. The quesadilla especially was a massive, cheesy brick--definitely felt it afterward. Service was quick and the staff was pretty low-key. You just order at the counter, grab your chips and salsa from the bar, and find a spot. It's a solid, reliable option if you're looking to get full for a decent price without any of the downtown Monterey fuss. Good spot to just zone out and eat. read more

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Love the unlimited chips. My husband and I always get the à la carte tacos and they're so good! Great price fast service. Bummed I didn't discover this place sooner. read more

Food and Service are great. I had nachos al pastor and I really liked the sweet smokiness the pork. I recommend this place and if you like nachos try the nachos r with meat. It can easily feed two, but I ate myself because it was Linner for me. My husband had the wet burrito with shy chicken which is his favorite. It was packed well with meat. read more

Papa Chano's - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

After adventures in Monterey all day, I was wandering the area and happened upon Papa Chanos. Wanted a quick dinner before the long drive home and noticed their vegetarian options. The place looked clean and inviting so I stopped in and got a veggie taco. It had rice, beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Nothing fancy but a good balance of ingredients and was a simple, filling option. They have a chips and salsa bar you can help yourself to, as well. Order at counter, but they do bring it out to you. Nice, affordable spot that's conveniently located to other shops and local Monterey establishments. read more

Papa Chano's - Vegetarian taco - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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Papa Chano is good. Not great. Very clean. Almost antiseptic. Can a restaurant be too clean ? Not really. When I walk into a Mex restaurant I want to be able to smell what's going on in the kitchen - to imagine how great my meal will be. Pork sizzling on the grill, tortillas on the hot hard top....you get my picture. You get none of that here. Kind of an antiseptic nothing. That may be ok for you but I might as well have been in a stationary store. The food: tried the carnitas enchiladas. Rice and beans. Asked for verde sauce. Verdic-- 3/5. Generous but not overly large portion. Not a lot of flavor. Corn tortilla was fine. Rice was almost inedible. Refried beans ok but r would have preferred black beans. Modelo Negra was of course amazing. Bottom line: will come back for other things to try because I like Med food -- silly we live in a area with lots of Hispanic people who know how to cook but the food ( what I've eaten) is too Gringo. Please let me know if you have favorites in Sand City, Seaside, Monterey. read more

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Loved the refillable chip and salsa bar, such a great touch for a place that is more of a fast food dining experience. I ordered the chicken tamales and they were packed with meat and not dry at all, definitely recommend those. I also got a super quesadilla that was really loaded, which I appreciated, but it got soggy pretty fast and kind of fell apart while eating. The cheese wasn't very melted and didn't hold it all together. The menu was pretty large too, so there's definitely something for everyone. It's a solid spot with generous portions and pricing and pretty good tamales. read more

Papa Chano's - Super quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Food was delicious and the gentleman who took our order was very friendly. They were out of a fountain drink so he just let me have one of the sodas in a can at no extra charge. Atmosphere is very relaxing with cool art on the walls. Enthusiastically recommend! read more

Ordered a quesadilla with Al pastor, and it was not great. The quesadilla was room temperature and it was full of sour cream. Barely any meat, and the meat was very bland. Chips and salsa bar was also sad and not good. I won't come back read more

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Came in after walking around and was so pleasantly surprised by how tender the lengua tacos were. The chorizo had a lot of flavor, as did the chile verde (and heat). The horchata was also good - not too sweet, cinnamon flavor. The team working was very nice too. We came in as a large group that had some difficulties with international cards. They were patient through it all. I would definitely return! read more

Papa Chano's - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Well on are road trip was feelin like some Mexican food spotted this place papa chano's in Monterey Bay ordered a asada burrito bean only homemade tortillas homemade bean also ordered 1 taco de alpastor delicious they have different heat ranges on there homemade salsa my wife order a flauta plate with rice beans she enjoyed it .nice place to try if you're ever out in Monterey Bay owners are so friendly helpful read more

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Food was gross , the fish tacos, smelt very fishy, and the bean and cheese burrito had a cross-contamination of chicken

Ordered al pastor tacos, Al pastor super burrito, and carnitas tacos. Everything was solid! Great flavor. The staff was so friendly and helpful. read more

Receptively, tamales chicken. It was good but not outstanding. Service was quick. Ambiance was nice because it's spacious . Simple happy decoration inside. Of course you park on the street or in the neighboring parking and you walk here. read more

Papa Chano's - Menu. - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Stopped in across the street from the Apple place my family went to. I was in the mood for a fish taco, so I stopped in here. I'm glad I did! It hit the spot for sure. Convenient location minus the parking situation (I had to park a couple blocks away). Inside the place is decorated nicely, but not overdone. I ordered in Spanish, but the server at the counter didn't assume I spoke Spanish which is cool. The taco itself was great. Good batter, tasty coleslaw (no miracle whip or pickles is a plus), and the chipotle sauce was good as well. Could've been a bit spicier, but it was tasty. I also got complimentary chips and salsa as well. If you're in the area, stop by, because they have a full menu I think I would've enjoyed. read more

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Nice, clean, and spacious place. Pretty quiet as we came after lunch hours. Service was fast and excellent! Portion sizes were good; prices were pretty reasonable but food was bland. Nothing great. read more

Papa Chano's - Enchilada Plate - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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This place had great food and excellent customer service. Food was freshly made and tortillas were soft. Definitely one of the best Mexican places we've ever had. read more

Family Owned businesses are my favorite establishments to support. I have been searching for tasty tostados like I remembered from Paso Robles and not having a lot of luck until today. I ordered the tostada with carnitas sans cheese and asked for the sour cream on the side. The food appeared quickly, and was delivered to a table for me while I got my lemonade. The portion of carnitas was very generous with nice crispy thick pieces of pork, very flavourful with beans, lettuce, green sauce and salsa with a tomato slice on top (see photo). I had a pleasant chat with Sergio the owner who shared with me the history of his restaurant. He is from Guadalajara originally and shared a restaurant with his brother in Half Moon Bay they took over from their father. Wanting to strike out on his own he moved his family to Monterey and opened Papa Chanos approximately 25 years ago. You can see Sergio waving from behind the counter. Be sure to say Hello when you come visit. I am so glad he chose to settle here, and I am looking forward to trying out the other meats one can choose from for another tasty tostada. Very reasonable prices and a nice salsa bar with home made tortilla chips. Come visit this spacious location located in downtown Monterey, and sample some of their delicious foods. read more

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Excellent food, excellent service, and a clean and really inviting restaurant space. The shrimp tacos and the carnitas tacos, which are two my benchmarks for a quality taqueria were both very good. I'll definitely be returning for those, and to try other items on their menu. read more

Biked here and our kids loved it. Shrimp taco was good and not over cooked. Tamales were good. Chicken and steak tacos were great.

The floors need to be steam cleaned. I've been in several times and at different times of the day over the last few weeks and, while the food is definitely good, the floors are always sticky and the baseboards look grimy and dirty. Don't mean to tell folks how to run their business, but I do know about cleanliness in restaurant spaces. When a customer notices like what I wrote above, it raises suspicion about how clean things are in the kitchen and food handling practices. Some night after closing, steam clean/pressure wash the whole floor. Those sealed saltillo tiles will take a lot of wear, but they should not feel sticky when you step on them. No bueno! read more

10/10 food and customer service! The music playing created such a great ambiance too and the decor is beautiful! We had the breakfast burrito with chorizo and the size is big, so I couldn't finish it, but I definitely took it for leftovers because it is so good, I couldn't waste it. I definitely will want to come back and try the rest of their food. read more

Good service good food..I have nothing to complain about. They have a full salsa bar ok chips...but free. And the guac is not real guacamole more like a salsa. Ambiance nice more of a quick spot to eat or pick up. But I can't complain prices decent. read more

Super fast, fish tacos were delicious, helpful device staff. We're definitely eat here again when we're in the area!

I'm all about value - taste, portion size, location, and service provided by staff heavily influence my ratings. The food here is about 3.5 stars, portions are 4 stars, the staff/service is 5 stars - put that all together and I gave this place 4 stars overall - mostly because of the value. Prices are very very reasonable and make this place a good value, overall. My daughter and I ate here on a Sunday afternoon. We ordered the nachos with carne asada, 1 pork tamale, and a 2-enchilada plate that came with rice and beans. We also ordered 2 fountain drinks. The nachos were out of this world - very delicious - lots of carne asada. The tamale was "okay". The enchiladas were just more than "okay". The rice and beans that accompanied the enchiladas were excellent. Agua frescas were on par - I tasted all 3, tamarindo, jamaica, and the horchata. All were ice cold and very tasty. The restaurant is located in downtown Monterey, right next to a bunch of other places to eat and visit. I do recommend eating here if you're looking for a tasty, affordable place. The staff is out of this world - very attentive, kind, and courteous. read more

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Delicious, fast, affordable, good quality medical food. They did not disappoint! Granted we'd had some drinks before we came in but I feel like that just makes everything taste even better. Got the fajita burrito and the hard taco plate. Nice, fast service with free chips and salsa while you wait! read more

Papa Chano's - Fajita burrito - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Delicious food, friendly service, comfortable atmosphere, and great value. We eat here regularly and enjoy fajitas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chile relleno, nachos, everything is great. read more

I ordered the chicken super burrito through Uber Eats, it was gigantic and super delicious! I ate it for lunch and dinner bc it was so huge! I was staying in the hospital so I can't comment on the staff or the ambiance inside the restaurant but I did have a modification and my burrito came exactly how I ordered it. I'll definitely get it again if I find myself back in Monterey. read more

Not only is the food delicious, and it came out quickly, but genuine kindness goes a long way with me. The people here are so warm and friendly. So glad I decided to come here for lunch based on another positive experience i had a here a few weeks ago. read more

Have you ever walked by a restaurant with the intent of going to another restaurant but then smelled their delicious food and changed your mind? That's what Papa Chano's will do to you. I couldn't resist the smell of fresh chips and salsa so I had to go in! The chips were as warm as a summer day and the each salsa was freshly made. I couldn't decide between tacos or asada fries so I got both. The tacos were a perfect size. I ordered carnitas and Al pastor. Each one spewed with delicious flavors of fresh corn tortilla, salsa, meat, and cilantro. It was exactly what I was craving. The asada fries were good. I wished I had gotten a different meat and I hoped the toppings were mixed up more than just rows of it. But the fries were cooked to perfection! Equally complimenting the flavor of its toppings. read more

Papa Chano's - Regular Taco - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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I just wanted a late night burrito, something to satisfy that craving. I DoorDash a bean and cheese burrito and my friend got a carne asada Super burrito. They said phenomenal, delicious this hits home. 10 out of 10. Definitely recommend the bean and cheese burrito, too. So delicious. Exactly what I was looking for, everything I dreamed of. Devoured it all in five minutes. read more

All the other places around here suck except for PAPA CHANO'S we love their service, their food,and everything we just loved. The burritos were delicious with perfect refried beans and the pork tamales were really tasty too- the carne asada was out of this world! read more

Best Carnitas Burrito in Monterey! Highly recommended. Awesome customer service. A MUST TRY!

The fish tacos and the tilapia plate are to die for. PERFECTLY cooked and seasoned, and the rice & beans are also good. Will be ordering more from here. read more

So delicious. Fast service top notch food reasonable prices the owner actually works the counter too ! I stop in anytime I can find parking

Ew....avoid! Counter service. Ordered Chicken Enchiladas. Inside was mostly gamey, dark meat I would hesitate to serve at all, even in tortilla soup. Rice was dry + tasteless. Cheese was probably mozzarella. Beans were ok. Tortillas ok. Not served with the usual lettuce/sour cream garnish. I left 2/3 of the chicken on the plate, maybe they will get the message not to serve it to paying customers. read more

Delicious authentic Mexican food! Large portions of fresh food. The chicken large burrito was wonderful and big enough to share! One of the best chicken tamales I've had! Clean salsa bar with hot chips. read more

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I like to stop here for lunch due to the excellent food, quick service, and great location. The friendly owner can be seen making sure that all goes perfectly. Prices are very reasonable. The ambiance is casual, clean and relaxed. read more

First time at papa Chano's. One of very few Mexican restaurants that does it right in Monterey. Great choices, great flavor, decent prices. Shrimp tacos are the best. Carnitas, lengua, al pastor, etc. all flavor packed. My only concern is the salsas. Very tame. Otherwise, this place is rock solid. Oh, owner and staff couldn't be nicer, and​ the inside has a very nice feel. read more

We usually have one lunch at Papa Chano's when we visit Monterey once a year or so, because we like their food and portions are generous. However, the last time we ate there and I paid by credit card as usual, I brought up that there was no machine to give you an option to add a tip to your liking. The friendly man behind the counter said it's all okay and I accepted that - and of course, it is counter service. When I went through my recent credit card statement, I noticed that they gave themselves a 31% tip, on top of what we spent. Not cool, not legal. Since the pandemic I stopped carrying cash, but I suggest to pay there in cash only, in case I am not the only one this happened to. read more

My absolute favorite thing about Papa Chanos is the Zanahorias en Escabeche. Yeah, I didn't know what that was either, until I looked it up. Pickled Carrots. Not especially soft like you boiled them, but not like you just picked them out of the ground either. They always seem to have a good amount of Zanahorias to add to your dish that just makes the flavor perfect for me. I enjoy the Jalapeno too. Carne Asada, or Carnitas seems to be my go to for a Burrito. Always ample and always tasty. Been going here for years. Wish they could proliferate enough to expand different locations. Chips are normally chips, but these guys make their own right then and there. Choices of Salsa makes it worth the effort. No place in downtown Monterey is easy to find parking, but during the tourist season you can always take the Tram for free. These guys hung on during the Pandemic and I'm so glad they did. You order at the counter from a a superior menu to choose from. Sound is amplified off all the hard surfaces, but it's not loud. Service is always busy, but very cordial. I just like this place. It's become a comfort food place for me. read more