Pansa Llena
11279 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD, 20904
Pansa Llena Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Silver Spring for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Silver Spring for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Silver Spring for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
11279 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD, 20904 - Phone (301) 592-8064
- Website https://pansallena.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
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.
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Patrick H.
Don't you just love your Yelp friends? It's so great when you find a kindred spirit who understands exactly how incredible a great meal can be and who are equally discontented with the likes of Chilis, Applebees et al. Such is the conversation I recently had with Yelper extraordinaire, Ina K. She has turned me onto to two new hot spots of late and she is 2 for 2! Pansa Llena is Spanish for Full Belly and that is exactly what you will have after a visit to this this casual Mexican Grill. Tacos are the thing, and heed the advice of those who have come before you... Shrimp Tacos are the way to go. We stopped in last night and enjoyed the complimentary basket of chips which were clearly home made, crisp and extra sturdy. They serve a nice salsa with them, that is overflowing with fresh veggies, onions and chilis, in a yellow tomato sauce. It's quite mild so if you want a kick, ask the the green salsa served in small plastic containers. Woo Hoo! The dining partner in crime and I both ordered the Taco combo, one chicken, one steak and one shrimp. All were very good, plentiful and tasty, but the Shrimp Tacos steal the show and for $8.00 this is a bargain that can't be beat. Ultra fresh shrimp grilled simply and nicely seasoned. They are plump and juicy and for my money make the perfect taco stuffing. The tacos come on nice home style soft corn tortillas and are served with lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream. On my next visit I would ask them to leave off the sour cream and the cheese and douse the shrimp with the green hot sauce and call it a day. Service is very friendly and you can either order from the counter or choose table service. Keep 'em coming Ina! I'm looking forward to more.
(4)Alexandra M.
4.5 stars - lots and lots of love for the owners, who are wonderful friendly people. Good prices, delicious peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, tres leches cake, and some other tasty treats. The White Oak shopping center and the Colesville area in general is hugely devoid of good dining options, which makes this one of my most frequent go-tos for lunch.
(4)Jennifer W.
It wasn't gross while we were eating but it wasn't very tasty either. Everyone had a tummy ache afterwards. So much cheese.
(2)Tamara W.
Pansa Llena is an expensive, mom and pop diner which serves forgettable "Latin" food served in small portions. It is also a place that has no ambience nor does anyone who works there know the meaning of customer service. PROS None CONS All of it
(1)Karen Q.
Worst customer service ever! I called to place a order for delivery and I called back a hour after and the lady told me there is no delivery today! And that it has to be over $20-30 for delivery! When I placed the order she didn't let me know about that! I was waiting over a hour for nothing! Don't waste your time and money here!
(1)Barry B.
It was okay. I've had better executed versions of this cuisine. I've had worse. It's a small strip mall restuarant-in a "sketchy" area. So consider that. I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here, but I would try it again if I were already in the area. The service is spotty-some of that may be "cultural". You get the same sort of thing in Europe-where compared to the constant checking on you that U.S. chain places give you- you are basically "left alone" and they come when you call them. The "latin" waitresses are a plus...if you get my drift.
(2)Jack P.
Waitresses are incompetent idiots. Sure, they're nice to look at but when I wait for my food for an hour and a half and don't even see one of them at any point, then that's neither here nor there. When I asked for the check, I waited another 30 minutes to the point where I went up to complain and found the waitress just talking to their co-worker about boyfriend issues. Boo hoo. If you treat your boyfriend half as bad as you treat your customers, no wonder he doesn't respect you. Also, food is bland at best and the place is so loud that even a 20 year old such as myself had his ears popping.
(1)Zhenzhen X.
Very unsatisfactory service! We have to wait more than 40 minutes to have our food served. The food is just Ok. Not recommended! Don't come!
(1)Ginger R.
Interesting local hangout, and friendly to strangers. Great Charcoal Chicken platter! I have to come back and try more things on their extensive menu.
(4)Patrick W.
I wish half a star were an option. They don't deserve three, nor do they deserve two. Food is always good, not great. Service is usually slow. They do have a chipotle style area in the back and cold beer, so there's that.
(3)Paul M.
Came here under the recommendations of Bat-Wreck H and Ina K. I was looking for a cheap and cheerful ethnic Sunday lunch for me and the kids on a rainy day, and boy did they deliver. 1. Great combo of mexican and peruvian menu options. 2. Shrimp tacos were absolutely delicious. 3. Thing 2 said " best chicken I have ever had in my life" but he has been saying that a lot recently. 4. $1.75 hora feliz cerveza ! That's chevere ! 5. Service was prompt and friendly. All that and the AC Milan game on the TV. Brilliant !
(4)Jay R.
This place is awesome and yes I am a fan. I discovered it only a month ago and have been here at least 6 times since. Prices are dirt cheap and the food is outstanding. Shrimp tacos are delicious...and you get 3 for 7.00! They even have bottled Mexican Coke! I think I'm going there tonight again!
(4)Dom F.
This place used to have some pretty delicious food about 5 years ago which is why my family decided to have dinner here last Friday after our hiatus. Boy, were we really dissappointed. The only decent thing we consumed were the free chips and salsa. We ordered a chicken burrito, STEAK burrito and a red snapper dinner with a side of platanos- pretty simple right? WRONG! After waiting almost 40 minutes for our food to come out (There were only 2 other customers who already received their dinners), we were finally greeted with burned fish & platanos and soggy burritos. Mind you, we asked for a STEAK burrito and received a ground beef burrito. Our waitress was no where to be found after dropping off the food. The tortillas for the burritos tasted like a soggy rag and the chicken tasted and looked like a mop. You know you have a problem when you can't get a 17 yr old boy to finish his food when he's usually a human garbage disposal. The waitress finally showed up with a $62 bill which she made sure to include a generous $8.38 tip for herself. We couldn't get out of there fast enough. This is one time I do not agree with my fellow yelpers by giving this place 3 1/2 stars. If you're thinking about eating at this place, you're better off eating at Taco Bell.
(1)Kristy B.
The place is dark and hot. The food is medicore at BEST! The service is not good. And worse of all they advertise on coupon websites to lure people in and then don't accept the coupons. I've been here three times hoping it will turn around. I won't be going back for a fourth.
(1)Bryan R.
I don't review places very often on here but this place was the worst. I don't know how you could mess up a chicken quesadilla and chicken tacos, but this place did. There was barely any chicken in the quesadilla and my tacos were soggy and cod. The rice was hard and cold and incredibly salty. The chips were stale and the salsa was equivalent to Pace from the grocery store. In addition to the terrible food, the waitress was terrible. She handed us the food and that was the last we saw of her until we were done. Then, when we paid our bill she didn't bring us our change back, she assumed she could keep it for herself. I had to actually go back to find and her and tell her I wanted my change back. I suppose she thought she deserved that tip, absolutely not. Needless to say I will never return here. I recommend you go to Pollo-Mex down New Hampshire it is miles and miles better.
(1)Laura R.
We stopped here for lunch after Mr. Logical had to pick something up from the Sears next door. I had the shrimp tacos, which were great. We both ordered diet sodas, and the waiter brought us each a 20 oz. bottle of diet pepsi, but other patrons had fountain drinks, which was odd. The restroom left a lot to be desired, however.
(3)Dan D.
This place is truly a local gem. It hands down beats any of the fancier sit down type Mexican restaurants in the area in both quality and price. All of their food is delicious. I highly recommend their "golden chimichanga" and a side of fried yuca. Also, if you enjoy spicy, be sure to ask for the habenaro salsa.....but be careful and only add small amounts to your food because it is super hot. This is a great place to bring friends and have food and drinks. With a super friendly staff and a full stocked bar, you can't go wrong here.
(5)Roberto N.
UPDATE-- Original review below. For whatever reason, Pansa Llena owner (same one- they have not been sold) has decided to hike prices 2-3 dollars per dish. Owner has added several new dishes, and seems to be trying to agressively move this storefront cafe upmarket. Problem with this is that he's priced the restaurant out of the local Latinos that used to come and eat authentic food.... I have to say that this is a huge mistake. He's losing a star for this. I mean, how would you like to go to one of your favorite restaurants, only to find you're paying at least half again, or even double your last visit? note that the restaurant is now pretty empty, too. Good luck with this ill-advised move. I hope they make it, but I think it's going to kill this restaurant. ORIGINAL REVIEW---I love going to a place like this. A small restaurant, not a chain, local fans of the place, and amazing food cooked just right. We've tried different things here, and have not been dissappointed. The waitresses are nice and friendly, but are also the people doing the take out orders- so don't be in a hurry when you eat here. Instead, enjoy the atmosphere. Not the decor, the atmosphere. Here there is a certain friendliness and acceptance, no matter if you're a Latino or not, and you're welcomed into an inexpensive paradise. Occasionally, there's a good soccer game on as well; lots to enjoy here. My favorite? Guacamole, carne asada, fish tacos. And, of course, the bottled Mexican Pepsis and Cokes....
(3)Blsc R.
The staff is great. The music is blaringly loud and the bathroom needs work. But the food was huge and good so if you can look past the bathroom...
(3)Tu-van L.
The beef/chicken/shrimp taco combo is a nice mix of their offerings. Shrimp was stringy and doesnt' taste like shrimp to me - more like crawfish or whatever other variation ther eis. Nothing spectacular, though nothing terrible - does the job but not something I'd go out of my way for. The place is bare-bones with a surprisingly stocked bar with dine-in options.
(2)Kevin L.
Um. My experience may or may not be somewhat skewed by the fact that I'd downed a whole margarita before my real food arrived. It's a good thing I had a DD, because the second one definitely had me in a state unsafe to drive. Regardless, even before I was noticeably inebriated, the chips and salsa had me enjoying myself. Invited along as a tried and true sidekick for the South of the Border tour, the boy and I rolled up after Laura, MKS, and Martin had already put in an order for the queso and guac. Affordable, adequate quantities, but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to try them again. I think I prefer CalTort's queso, or the Shiner Bock stuff at Austin Grill. But my $10 shrimp fajitas? Whoa - what a steal! Succulent de-shelled shrimp that were pretty good sized, grilled onions and peppers, and a plate of fixin's including sour cream, guac, and lettuce. This is totally the way to do it! Per usual, I was pretty satisfied about halfway through my meal, but it was too good to not cram in the rest. My one complaint was that we're only provided with three itty bitty little tortilla wrappers for our fajitas. Even cramming these little starchy morsels of joy to bursting, I was left over with more shrimp and onions. It's kinda interesting that the menu explicitly states three (3) tortillas per order, too. Huh. This is one joint that's worth the haul over to the obscure strip mall that it's found in. As Patrick H already noted, Pansa Llena apparently means "Full Belly." Unless your name is Lester K, you'd be hard-pressed to leave here without one!
(4)N S.
I must have gone with the wrong entree in seeing these other reviews for Pansa Llena. I had enchiladas and they weren't so hot. The salsa and refried beans looked like they came straight out of a can. It just wasn't very tasty at all. On the flip side, the owners are extremely friendly and accommodating. I will possibly give their business another try and go with a new entree. Below I see Steve recommended to stick w/ the pollo a la brasa and Central American dishes. Will do.
(2)Alex M.
Food was flavorless. Salsa was watery. Skimpy on chips an meat in entrees. Won't return.
(1)Jennifer G.
Wanna know the perfect way to end your week? There are three easy steps outlined below: 1. Drive yourself over to Pansa Llena and head straight back to the bar. 2. Order a margarita made with Patron (on the rocks with salt is how I like mine). 3. Follow up the numerous amounts of margaritas you're going to have with some Charcoal Chicken! This was how last Friday wound up for R and I, and you know what? That's exactly how *this* Friday is going to wind up too! I cannot think of a better day to end my week!
(5)Arthur K.
Cheap eats. We got the fajitas mixed with chicken, steak and shrimp. The fajita meat came out on a nice piping hot plate. Serving of lettuce, tomato & onion were way too small. The rice was tasty. Chicken and steak were decent but kind of regretted not just getting the all shrimp dish. They serve a free salsa with chips as you wait for your food. The salsa was tasty. Service wasn't horrible. Decent eats at a good price.
(3)Ina C.
I was robbed. I've lived in the 20904 for decades and worked here for years, and I've only just discovered Pansa Llena's 3 shrimp tacos for $7!! This place was totally happening at 12:00 on a Friday afternoon - music thumping, people of all backgrounds chatting, eating, drinking. I went to the counter and ordered three tacos. For Yelp's sake, I decided to try all three meats - shrimp, chicken and steak. The chicken and steak are stored in bins a la Chipotle (didn't like it too much), but the shrimp was grilled and made to order. I will now proceed to describe my shrimp taco. It was made on a warmed corn tortilla with shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa and sour cream. The grilled shrimp was warm and tender - definitely not overcooked. I'm guessing you can add other toppings (guac, corn?) for extra. While I waited for my food to be made, I looked at the menu and saw that they also serve charcoal chicken - though I don't know if it's such a great deal ($4.79 for a 1/4 chicken and 1 side). But I'm fine with my shrimp tacos! Like others have said, they've got a full bar, a handful of tables and a really laidback staff. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area! Goodbye, Chipotle! Goodbye, Baja Fresh!
(4)Deepa K.
Quaint restaurant in a strip mall...i disagree with a previous reviewer i didnt feel it was sketchy (is next to a sleepys and giant). Very casual...cross between a family restaurant and a local sports bar. The food came out fast and was delicious. Waitresses were also very nice. Very inexpensive as well!
(4)Martha A.
I would give it 0 stars if I could. Service is horrible. Food is ok. Order was all wrong. Had to wait for order to be corrected. Then to add insult to injury, waitress decided to tip herself the 15%. When I confronted her about it, and asked her to show me on menu where it stated that tip was included in bill automatically; she stated that any bill after $35 had tip added automatically. Don't step foot in this joint. Food is ok and service is horrible. Shame
(1)Herbert U.
Walked in and expected to be greeted by a waitress wasn't even acknowledged. We ended up seating ourselves. After sitting there for 10 mins and not having a single waitress acknowledge us we decided to go to the counter to order. We get to the counter to realize they have 2 different menus with 2 different prices, wtf!? We stood in front of the cash register long enough to hear the niece and aunt that work there arguing, even then they didn't acknowledge us. We ended up walking out. Service sucks here, find somewhere else that has their stuff together.
(1)Becky D.
We don't dine in anymore... The place is far too noisy to hear yourself think. NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY. We order to pick up now. Only time our food is actually prepared in a timely manner. Some of the waitress are nice others...... UHM.
(2)DJ L.
Food was ok. Kind of bland, no real flavor. Bought the chicken fajita. Fast service. However, people were rude and barely acknowledged customers. Portions are small for $13 compared to other authentic mexican places in surrounding area. Won't be returning.
(2)Gerard D.
4 star food, but 2 star prices .. paying nearly $20 for lomo saltado is unreasonable.
(3)Bridgette G.
I may have found a new enchilada addiction. I had this two days in a row - it was really good. The staff was very busy, but very nice. I didn't give it 4 stars because of the dirty menus. I'm stunned when restaurants don't wipe down their menus. I opened mine up and it had a big old hunk of salsa down the middle. The server just wiped it with a napkin and put it back it rotation. That was a bit gross. Otherwise, I really liked the enchiladas.
(3)Melissa H.
I wish no stars was an option. The best thing on my plate was the sour cream. Overall, a lack of freshness and flavor. My chimichanga wasn't crispy, the cheese on top wasn't melted, the chicken inside lacked flavor. The beans were bland and the rice must have been frozen and then reheated because even plain white rice, freshly cooked would have been amazing compared to this horribly bland, frozen excuse for Mexican rice. The salsa was watery and was clearly made with canned tomatoes. And the service...Wow, worst EVER. The waitresses were far more interested in flirting with the male patrons than with providing even mediocre service. I had to ask for a refill even though she walked by several times. Chips were skimpy and a refill of those had to be requested, too. Truly horrible service. So, bad service and bad food. Do not waste your time or money.
(1)Miles C.
DO NOT COME HERE!!! Owner is cheap and food is ok at best!!! My girlfriend and I tried using a coupon ($25 off of $50 minimum purchase) and they wouldn't accept it. I purchased it on Restaurant.com so I thought they would accept the coupon, NOPE. Why sell from a third party site and not accept the coupons in your restaurant?! That's pretty cheap...anyways the first time we went there they wouldn't accept it and argued with us at the end which totally ruined the meal. Tonight we decided to go back because we wanted fajitas and it's close. We called and the manager or whoever that guy pretending to have power is told me that no problem we could use it and to tell them his name if we have issues. Hahahahaha!!! What a joke!!! When we came in we asked for him and he shook our hand and told us no problem and we could use it. At the end out our meal we told the waiter that we have a coupon and she said we don't accept them. I told them his name and they said he left and they won't accept it. I'm at a loss and can't believe a restaurant would pull a cheap fast move like this. DO NOT EAT HERE!!!!!
(1)Monica D.
This place varied like MD weather. There will be a period of a few months when it was awesome, then it was just okay, now we just don't go anymore. So I guess I'd say, give it a go. Great prices. Sometimes they're trying to make it a club and it's really loud and awkward. They keep changing their rice and salsa, not for the better.
(2)Jason R.
Great stuffed jalapenos! Stuffed with pork and fried, they had a lot of heat balanced well by the sweet pork. We also had the tacos for $9 and $11 pork burrito, both of which we excellent. Clean bathrooms were a nice surprise as well. I was also very happy that the rice and beans that most entrees come with actually tasted like something I wanted to eat, as opposed to the canned stuff a lot of places try and fill up the plate with. The pork really is a star here though, and you can tell they take the time to cook it well before using it as an ingredient. And lets here it for a place that still give you a free basket of chip and salsa. The TVs had on nothing but sports, which was fine for a couple of guys but it would not make a good date night if you are looking for something quiet.
(4)Rachel E.
The service here is AWFUL which is really unfortunate because their food is pretty good and the prices are as well. We love to come here for lunch but the last few times literally sat for ten minutes before even brought menus, acknowledged, etc.. It did appear that the waitstaff paid more attention if you were a male customer. The other day, my colleague and I walked out after waiting 15 minutes at 11:30 when there were maybe 3 tables taken and not offered menus before we just left and went somewhere else. Your loss, Pansa Llena. You should probably concentrate on the customer service aspect of running an establishment as much as the quality of the food. The goal is to RETAIN customers, not drive them away.
(1)M M.
Very tasty food! I got the Presidente combo and the salmon tacos. Both are great. Beer is cheap (I think $3!?) Chips are warm and salsa mild-ish, the way I like it. One can always add more heat. Chunks of onion and tomato! YUM! Atmosphere is odd with crookedly mounted candelabras and pictures and some horseshoes...? There is a small bar in back to sit and get cocktails or Modelo on draft and watch Spanish TV programming. Or there is a carry out in the back with pollo a la brasa style chicken. White Oak Shopping Center - If you are next to a Sears, you're there!
(4)Gareth G.
Hit the spot. All day I was craving a chimichanga and it was all that and then some.
(4)Laura V.
First I want to say that their shrimp fajitas are $9.99. Ok, stop number 13 on the South of the Border Queso (or Guacamole) Comparison, Culinary Discovery Tour and Gastronomic Extravaganza. Mary Kay (my willing SotB companion) suggested we try something new and different. I think this place was in Pennsylvania so that was a start. We were joined by MK's hubby Martin, Fabulous Yelp CM Kevin and (as he refers to him) "the boy" Brian. We drove quite a bit to get to Pansa Llena, and then we found it. Strangely tucked into a strip mall next to a pizza place and a driving school. Would this be another Tippy's? WOULD THERE BE ALCOHOL?? Pansa Llena complied with plenty of alcohol. We started with the margaritas. They were quite sweet with a lot of sour mix, but there was also a good deal of tequila in them so ok. We ordered up some queso and some guac to start us off. The queso honestly tasted like Velveeta so not the best in my opinion, but the guac was really good! Smooth and velvety, with a kick of lime. Good stuff. Their salsa was honestly unmemorable and therefore I can't really say much about it. Blame it on the tequila. Now, back to those shrimp fajitas. Seriously people, where else in the DC area can you get any fajitas for $9.99, let alone SHRIMP?? Deal of the century!! The shrimp were yummy and cooked perfectly. There was a very generous portion (as shown in Kevin's photos). However, the tiny little corn tortillas they gave us to deliver the shrimp goodness to our mouths were seriously lacking. They only held minimal shrimpy goodness and then fell apart instantly to create one shrimpy mess. One other side note: Why is it that so many Mexican restaurants skimp on the green peppers in the fajitas? I don't understand this. I have a mountain of onions, but one little pepper slice. I like an equal amount of peppers and onions with my shimp. What gives? I digress. The fajitas overall were very tasty. I just wish they had better tortillas. My dining companions had a variety of items from tacos to beef/chicken fajitas, to a gorgeous salad. The reviews were mixed. Service was very friendly, although I think they wondered who the heck we were and where we came from. Prices reasonable. Oh and they offer Peruvian style chicken which gave the place it's wonderful char-grilled smell. (Did I mention that Pansa Llena is spanish for "tight pants?" "No it's not," you say? Ok, it's not. But good lord I had tight pants when I left.) So, if I lived closer to Pansa Llena, I'd definitely go back. But I wasn't so blown away that I'd drive an hour for it again.
(3)Jonathan C.
I was so dissappointed to see that Pansa wasn't on yelp. It's good, really good. They also have daily specials and various types of chopped meat. Try the lengua, it is amazing!! Salsa rocks as well. Oh they have a full bar, which totally blew my mind.
(4)Dak F.
In the D.C. burbs we can only expect so much. Pansa Llena is pretty good. Nice family place with decent tacos. However, it's no where near an L.A. street taco, but in all fairness, how could it be? ¿No tripas? ¡No guey!
(3)Chris C.
Meh... 2.5 stars. I was in the area and I Yelp'd for a place to grab some lunch. Based on the Yelp reviews, I chose to have it here. I had the combination platter (3 meats). The ground beef enchilada had the most flavor, but the rest was very bland - I was expecting better. Speaking of bland, the salsa was a tasteless, light pink mash. Maybe it would've been better to have ordered the margarita?
(3)Steve H.
I've been back more than a few times and stand by my original review. Stick to pollos a la brasa and central american main courses for the food. The Mexican dishes are not really Mexican, they're not really tex-mex either they are more like what central americans think tex-mex should be if that makes sense. That being said the place does a good volume of food and everything I've ever had is hot and freshly made to order and service is friendly and attentive and there is a full bar. I live nearby so it's a great go to spot for me but like other reviewers have mentioned I would not make special trip to come here.
(4)David K.
I live in Phoenix., but grew up here. Like in White Oak shopping center! First 2 jobs & first 2 serious girflriends at Sears. And now, 200 feet away, serious Mexican food. While Pres of Springbrook Spanish club, I wouldn't eat Mexican food on our outing. 35 years changes things. Mexican is very high on my list of where to eat...easy here in Phoenix. If Pansa Llena were here, it'd be top 5 easily. It was late--after 7--and the (I believe) owner was still there, and very attentive. I had the Mole Enchiladas filled with chicken, and they were insane! The rice was moist and flavorful. I wish I could go back and try some of the other dishes. Alas, today I put 2500 miles between us. Nest time...shrimp fajitas! Thanks again!
(4)David W.
Killer taco salad, amazing peruvian chicken, atomic salsa...what's not to like?
(4)Mary Kay S.
Stop number Lucky Thirteen on the South of the Border Queso (or Guacamole) Comparison, Culinary Discovery Tour and Gastronomic Extravaganza (SotBQ[oG]CCDTaGE). An earlier review says that "Pansa Llena" means "Full Belly". I prefer Laura V.'s translation -- "Tight Pants". Same thing, really, yet more evocative. Laura, hubby Martin and I drove for 45 minutes through some very wet, gray weather to reach Tight Pants. As even suburbia started to peter out into long stretches of trees (and after we passed a house with the most amazing collection of concrete yard decorations that included TWO giant concrete lions), we came upon the shopping center into which Tight Pants is tucked like a dollar bill into a sweaty g-string. Sorry, I just wasn't expecting it to be so small, and so tightly tucked. Anyway, we got inside, and found an odd mix of a fast-food joint with a neighborhood bar. Do we order at the counter? A waitress quickly approached and seated us with menus, saving us the confusion. We didn't have long to wait for Kevin and Brian, but in that short space of time we ordered margaritas, a beer for Martin, queso, and guacamole, and had tried all of the above as well as the complementary salsa before they reached the table. The margaritas were sweeeet -- tasting heavily of margarita mixer. The chips were good, and the salsa had a great flavor, but was a little too watered down. The queso - pretty average. I liked the guacamole, though - it was creamy, and had plenty of lime juice. The menu has a number of Mexican offerings, as well as charcoal roasted chicken, the smell of which was making my mouth water. For some reason, the chicken was treated almost as a separate restaurant -- it came with sides of french fries, rice, or cole slaw. That's too bad, because I could have totally gone with a quarter chicken, with a side of beans and rice, or tortillas. I chose the fajitas - mixed chicken and beef. The meat was of good quality - not stringy or chewy, and well cut. But it wasn't well-flavored - it could have really used some seasoning. Combined with the bland beans and rice into one of the bland white corn tortillas, there wasn't much excitement going on in my mouth. My meal could have probably been remedied by (a) ordering flour tortillas instead of corn (to avoid the crumbling mess I ended up with), and (b) liberally using hot sauce on the meat. But hind sight is twenty-twenty, whereas my sight when hungry is more like five-twenty. My conclusion was that Tight Pants is a perfectly adequate, even enjoyable dining spot that I might come to occasionally if I lived nearby. But I'm not out this way very often, and dinner here did not really convince me that I should come more frequently.
(3)M P.
This place is nothing fancy, but it's really delicious. Their refried beans are incredible, they put every place else I've had them to shame (which probably means they are horrifyingly bad for you but that's a price I'm willing to pay). Great burritos (huge!) and enchiladas. Good margaritas as well. The place always seems to be empty, but it's clean enough and the service is good.
(4)Michael A.
Charcoal chicken was great. Nice chips n salsa, salsa seemed wet but was very tasty. First time ive had fried yuca, will definitely try it again had Can't beat the price, cheaper than fast food.
(4)