I ordered nachos from here and I didn't like it! The cheese wasn't melted and the service wasn't as i expected it to be. Also my steak had a lot of fat in it. My cousin said the burritos were nasty. I will not come here again!
(1)
Katie W.
As a Vegetarian I sometimes have trouble finding places with good Vegetarian food. I have been here twice now with friends and both times everything has been very good! The Vegetarian entrees are AMAZING and my friend(who eats meat), has loved everything as well. In addition to the food we also have both LOVED the Margaritas!!! So many flavors and great selection. The one thing I will say that was a bit misleading was the 2 for 1 Margaritas...They advertise this everywhere, but when we got the bill we were told that it only is for certain ones, and they cannot be blended (on the rocks only). Which was fine, just misleading... Other then that I love this place and will be going back!
(4)
Timothy M.
I might have high standards when it comes to Mexican food, and having lived in Texas for a few years I know I am not going to find Mexican as good as down there. That being said this place was one of the worst places I have ever eaten at. I ordered the chimichangas and flautas. The chimi was soggy and flavorless, the chicken inside had no seasoning and tasted like they just pulled some boiled chicken and threw it in there. The rice and beans were also flavorless and just a gummy mess on the plate. Now on to one of my favorite Mexican treats, flautas. If done right they are amazing, but people need to realize that there is a difference between a flauta and a taquito. Flautas are made with flour tortillas and taquitos are made with corn. Pancho Villas say they serve flautas but they are taquitos. They double wrap the corn tortillas to make them longer but it leaves the center soggy and uncooked. The filling was also the same tasteless boiled chicken. Save your money and make your own stuff at home, it will be cheaper and most likely taste way better.
(1)
Sandy S.
First off, the menu has changed. It's half the size. Also, NO BUFFET. It's gone and was the only thing worth going here for. Lukewarm food, music so loud I should have been at a club and lackluster service at this place make this a VERY average place. And for Mother's Day (you know, the BUSIEST restaurant day of the year)? Nothing. No dinner specials, drink specials or flower for mom. I'm done. I've tried to like this place and given it several tries. My "chimichanga" was not fried nor was is topped with cheese as stated on the menu. Appetizer was lukewarm as was my entree. The manager didn't ask us how our food was. Guess he'll have to read my review here. Go to Rancho Grande a block down the street.
(2)
Jean W.
Great service and great food. The servers don't speak the best english, but they are very attentive. Fantastic margs and they have great happy hr drink deals. Food was great too.
(5)
Bill H.
I love Groupon because of the places it takes me. Pancho Villa is a perfect example. I never would have tried this place if not for the great Groupon deal. Monticello is a bit of a hike, but I dig Mexican food almost as much as a juicy burger... so here we go.The space that Pancho Villa occupies was at one time a Country Kitchen. My wife and I had our first date at a Country Kitchen in 1990 (we were in High School). So, yea, if you were ever in a Country Kitchen in the 90's, imagine it full of colorful paint on the walls, stocked with black and white pictures of Pancho Villa and you've got the atmosphere. The food was good. They have an interesting angle whereby you pick your dish, then pick the meat that you want in it. The variety of meat was pretty impressive. I went with a roasted pork with pineapple and peppers, but you can get much more adventurous - they even have tongue (not human... cow). I wasn't quite brave enough to try that, but maybe after a few of their stellar margarita's, I'd be open to it. .. And that brings me to the best part of my visit. The margarita's were exceptional. Hand squeezed lime + choice of high-end tequila + pretty much any citrus liqueur you want to finish it off. *Heaven*. If you go for something a little more fruity in your tequila, they can take care of you with the long list of cocktails. I honestly think we pissed off the bartender, because he just couldn't make them as fast as our party of five could drink them. Not sure when - but I will most certainly be back to Pancho Villa...
(3)
Jim S.
Good food. Friendly staff. The ambiance is a little short but it does appear they are making an attempt to change that. All in all, a good solid mexican restaurant in Elk River. Wish the on tap selections were a little bigger.
(4)
Andy J.
Yelp informed me my review was removed because it lacked detail, so I am forced to write a new one. I had a pork burrito, it was terrible. The pork was incredibly fatty. I ended up pulling many large gobs of fat out of burrito. The wife had fajitas, which she stated the vegetables were way undercooked. Service was OK, borderline slow. Update: So Ivan C. from Pancho Villa sends me this message on Yelp "I think you have wrote a review to the wrong place. "pork incredibly fatty"?? "vegetables undercooked"?? not our place dear Mr. guest." So not only do I get a terrible meal, I get called a liar. I wouldn't think that is a good way to run a restaurant.
(1)
Jolene P.
Just ate at Pancho Villa with the family, hoping for a great stop heading back to Minneapolis. The food was okay, however the service was horrible! We were not greeted on our way in until I said hi first. After being seated for a few minutes, with only 3 other tables, we finally had a young lady stop by our table to get our drink order. She did not say much, no hello or welcome or anything. We ordered cheese sauce, had run out of salsa & chips, had to ask for refills, extra chips, etc. Once we ordered I asked what the kids enchilada had on it & she said "red or whatever you want". There was no interaction, no common conversation. No help with the menu. We asked another man for a kids refill at one point. Between the hostess & server, we felt really unwelcome. They put no effort into our experience and seemed to not care if we were there or not. We will NOT be back!
(1)
Angie S.
I am sad to admit - when it comes to Mexican restaurants it takes a lot to impress me because I feel mexican food can all taste the same. Plus when it comes to heat - my boyfriend loves heat and I like mild flavors and this pleased both of us! The atmosphere is great - wait staff was so friendly and attentive - and the food was truly excellent! The Menu! - So many selections and it all looked amazing! My boyfriend and I went there and it was delicious. I had the Quesadillas, which was AMAZING! Normally they are served with Cheese but I added the pork and it was delicious! It was a light dinner option! My boyfriend had the enchiladas and he loved them! (He was part of the clean plate club as was I for one of the first time at a restaurant!) We left happy and very impressed - for just opening... it will be a place we would go back to! This is one of the first Mexican Restaurants that stand out over others!! So good! :)
(5)
Roxanne M.
My husband and I have been to Pancho Villa a couple of times. The food is always good but the service is very slow. This time we went on New Years eve around 6p.m. There weren't many diners at the time but it took 20minutes to get a margarita, which are pre-made but good ! I hope they can improve thier service because I would hate to see them have to close.
(2)
Jessica C.
This place is great !!! The owner is very nice and wants to make sure everyone is happy . I will go back !!
(5)
Calleigh H.
We like Mexican food, but not this place. The waitress messed up our order, then when she finally did bring it, it was still wrong. Plus the outside of the chimi was burning hot and the inside was stone cold. No apologies or comp. We paid, left, and drove thru McDonald's for my husband, son, and I. We will never go back . Plus a little overpriced and their.menu was hard to understand and read.
(1)
Jackie H.
I used to frequent the Minneapolis location all the time and since moving back to St. Cloud I was super excited to have a Pancho Villa close to home. We stopped there for dinner tonight and the service was excellent, very fast and polite and the food is always amazing. I bought a groupon a couple months back that has since expired and I knew that but you can redeem groupons for the original purchase price after the expiration. I read the fine print, of course, as these things are always particular! We ordered half price margaritas and two entrees. The 'manager' had to come over and explain that I couldn't redeem my $15 because we had happy hour drinks on the same ticket as the meals. The fine print did state that it wasn't valid on happy hour specials but we did purchase at least $15 in food, as well. Still, he said since the happy hour drinks were on the same bill as the entrees we couldn't use the groupon. I asked to split the drinks to my friends tab and he refused. He was super rude, saying that I was just upset that I let the groupon expire. Nope- just upset that you don't know how to interpret your own 'fine print.' Get it together- won't be going to the Monticello location anymore! And the 'manager' cost his server a really nice tip, top notch customer service.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Jose L.
I ordered nachos from here and I didn't like it! The cheese wasn't melted and the service wasn't as i expected it to be. Also my steak had a lot of fat in it. My cousin said the burritos were nasty. I will not come here again!
(1)Katie W.
As a Vegetarian I sometimes have trouble finding places with good Vegetarian food. I have been here twice now with friends and both times everything has been very good! The Vegetarian entrees are AMAZING and my friend(who eats meat), has loved everything as well. In addition to the food we also have both LOVED the Margaritas!!! So many flavors and great selection. The one thing I will say that was a bit misleading was the 2 for 1 Margaritas...They advertise this everywhere, but when we got the bill we were told that it only is for certain ones, and they cannot be blended (on the rocks only). Which was fine, just misleading... Other then that I love this place and will be going back!
(4)Timothy M.
I might have high standards when it comes to Mexican food, and having lived in Texas for a few years I know I am not going to find Mexican as good as down there. That being said this place was one of the worst places I have ever eaten at. I ordered the chimichangas and flautas. The chimi was soggy and flavorless, the chicken inside had no seasoning and tasted like they just pulled some boiled chicken and threw it in there. The rice and beans were also flavorless and just a gummy mess on the plate. Now on to one of my favorite Mexican treats, flautas. If done right they are amazing, but people need to realize that there is a difference between a flauta and a taquito. Flautas are made with flour tortillas and taquitos are made with corn. Pancho Villas say they serve flautas but they are taquitos. They double wrap the corn tortillas to make them longer but it leaves the center soggy and uncooked. The filling was also the same tasteless boiled chicken. Save your money and make your own stuff at home, it will be cheaper and most likely taste way better.
(1)Sandy S.
First off, the menu has changed. It's half the size. Also, NO BUFFET. It's gone and was the only thing worth going here for. Lukewarm food, music so loud I should have been at a club and lackluster service at this place make this a VERY average place. And for Mother's Day (you know, the BUSIEST restaurant day of the year)? Nothing. No dinner specials, drink specials or flower for mom. I'm done. I've tried to like this place and given it several tries. My "chimichanga" was not fried nor was is topped with cheese as stated on the menu. Appetizer was lukewarm as was my entree. The manager didn't ask us how our food was. Guess he'll have to read my review here. Go to Rancho Grande a block down the street.
(2)Jean W.
Great service and great food. The servers don't speak the best english, but they are very attentive. Fantastic margs and they have great happy hr drink deals. Food was great too.
(5)Bill H.
I love Groupon because of the places it takes me. Pancho Villa is a perfect example. I never would have tried this place if not for the great Groupon deal. Monticello is a bit of a hike, but I dig Mexican food almost as much as a juicy burger... so here we go.The space that Pancho Villa occupies was at one time a Country Kitchen. My wife and I had our first date at a Country Kitchen in 1990 (we were in High School). So, yea, if you were ever in a Country Kitchen in the 90's, imagine it full of colorful paint on the walls, stocked with black and white pictures of Pancho Villa and you've got the atmosphere. The food was good. They have an interesting angle whereby you pick your dish, then pick the meat that you want in it. The variety of meat was pretty impressive. I went with a roasted pork with pineapple and peppers, but you can get much more adventurous - they even have tongue (not human... cow). I wasn't quite brave enough to try that, but maybe after a few of their stellar margarita's, I'd be open to it. .. And that brings me to the best part of my visit. The margarita's were exceptional. Hand squeezed lime + choice of high-end tequila + pretty much any citrus liqueur you want to finish it off. *Heaven*. If you go for something a little more fruity in your tequila, they can take care of you with the long list of cocktails. I honestly think we pissed off the bartender, because he just couldn't make them as fast as our party of five could drink them. Not sure when - but I will most certainly be back to Pancho Villa...
(3)Jim S.
Good food. Friendly staff. The ambiance is a little short but it does appear they are making an attempt to change that. All in all, a good solid mexican restaurant in Elk River. Wish the on tap selections were a little bigger.
(4)Andy J.
Yelp informed me my review was removed because it lacked detail, so I am forced to write a new one. I had a pork burrito, it was terrible. The pork was incredibly fatty. I ended up pulling many large gobs of fat out of burrito. The wife had fajitas, which she stated the vegetables were way undercooked. Service was OK, borderline slow. Update: So Ivan C. from Pancho Villa sends me this message on Yelp "I think you have wrote a review to the wrong place. "pork incredibly fatty"?? "vegetables undercooked"?? not our place dear Mr. guest." So not only do I get a terrible meal, I get called a liar. I wouldn't think that is a good way to run a restaurant.
(1)Jolene P.
Just ate at Pancho Villa with the family, hoping for a great stop heading back to Minneapolis. The food was okay, however the service was horrible! We were not greeted on our way in until I said hi first. After being seated for a few minutes, with only 3 other tables, we finally had a young lady stop by our table to get our drink order. She did not say much, no hello or welcome or anything. We ordered cheese sauce, had run out of salsa & chips, had to ask for refills, extra chips, etc. Once we ordered I asked what the kids enchilada had on it & she said "red or whatever you want". There was no interaction, no common conversation. No help with the menu. We asked another man for a kids refill at one point. Between the hostess & server, we felt really unwelcome. They put no effort into our experience and seemed to not care if we were there or not. We will NOT be back!
(1)Angie S.
I am sad to admit - when it comes to Mexican restaurants it takes a lot to impress me because I feel mexican food can all taste the same. Plus when it comes to heat - my boyfriend loves heat and I like mild flavors and this pleased both of us! The atmosphere is great - wait staff was so friendly and attentive - and the food was truly excellent! The Menu! - So many selections and it all looked amazing! My boyfriend and I went there and it was delicious. I had the Quesadillas, which was AMAZING! Normally they are served with Cheese but I added the pork and it was delicious! It was a light dinner option! My boyfriend had the enchiladas and he loved them! (He was part of the clean plate club as was I for one of the first time at a restaurant!) We left happy and very impressed - for just opening... it will be a place we would go back to! This is one of the first Mexican Restaurants that stand out over others!! So good! :)
(5)Roxanne M.
My husband and I have been to Pancho Villa a couple of times. The food is always good but the service is very slow. This time we went on New Years eve around 6p.m. There weren't many diners at the time but it took 20minutes to get a margarita, which are pre-made but good ! I hope they can improve thier service because I would hate to see them have to close.
(2)Jessica C.
This place is great !!! The owner is very nice and wants to make sure everyone is happy . I will go back !!
(5)Calleigh H.
We like Mexican food, but not this place. The waitress messed up our order, then when she finally did bring it, it was still wrong. Plus the outside of the chimi was burning hot and the inside was stone cold. No apologies or comp. We paid, left, and drove thru McDonald's for my husband, son, and I. We will never go back . Plus a little overpriced and their.menu was hard to understand and read.
(1)Jackie H.
I used to frequent the Minneapolis location all the time and since moving back to St. Cloud I was super excited to have a Pancho Villa close to home. We stopped there for dinner tonight and the service was excellent, very fast and polite and the food is always amazing. I bought a groupon a couple months back that has since expired and I knew that but you can redeem groupons for the original purchase price after the expiration. I read the fine print, of course, as these things are always particular! We ordered half price margaritas and two entrees. The 'manager' had to come over and explain that I couldn't redeem my $15 because we had happy hour drinks on the same ticket as the meals. The fine print did state that it wasn't valid on happy hour specials but we did purchase at least $15 in food, as well. Still, he said since the happy hour drinks were on the same bill as the entrees we couldn't use the groupon. I asked to split the drinks to my friends tab and he refused. He was super rude, saying that I was just upset that I let the groupon expire. Nope- just upset that you don't know how to interpret your own 'fine print.' Get it together- won't be going to the Monticello location anymore! And the 'manager' cost his server a really nice tip, top notch customer service.
(1)