Don Pancho Taquería
2000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, 97211
Don Pancho Taquería Menu
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Diabetics at McDonald's
Most burgers served at McDonald's are low in sugar but there are several burgers which are high in sodium. You must choose burger options which are low in sugar and moderate in sodium content. You can also avoid extra dressings or cheese over your burger to control diabetes at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid for Diabetics at McDonald's
Diabetics will find many tempting food items at McDonald's but most of these food items are also high in sugar or sodium. Diabetics must skip desserts and shakes at McDonald's to avoid sugar spike. You should also skip all McCafe drinks except a few containing low sugar and fat-free options. Besides the drinks and beverages, you should also avoid bacon-based and sausage-based burgers and sandwiches to limit your sodium intake. Diabetics should also skip the sausage-based salad options available at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at McDonald's
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 1070mg sodium, 27g carbs, 6g sugar, 6g fiber, 37g Protein
Egg McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 300 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 760mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets®
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 17g Protein
Kiddie Cone
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 1g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0.5g), 20mg sodium, 8g carbs, 6g sugar, 0g fiber, 1g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets® Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Iced Latte
Nutritional Facts: 90 calories, 4.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 65mg sodium, 7g carbs, 7g sugar, 0g fiber, 4g Protein
World Famous Fries®
Nutritional Facts: 230 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 1.5g), 160mg sodium, 29g carbs, 0g sugar, 3g fiber, 3g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Portland for healthy meals suggestion.
High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Most burgers at fast food joints contain a high amount of sodium. You must keep your sodium intake in check if you are suffering from high blood pressure. McDonald's offers a wide range of burgers based on your diet preferences. Choose the right burger and avoid French fries at all cost while dining at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid at McDonald's for High Blood Pressure
Avoid Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Burger and Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles at McDonald's as both these burgers are high in sodium. Skip extra cheese and avoid French fries if possible as they are too greasy and can add to your sodium intake. Also, avoid all types of sausage-based burgers or sandwiches at McDonald's to limit your sodium levels.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Filet-O-Fish®
Nutritional Facts: 390 calories, 19g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 560mg sodium, 38g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
Baked Apple Pie
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 95mg sodium, 35g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Vanilla Cone
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 95mg sodium, 32g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Americano
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Coffee
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 20mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0 g), 0mg sodium, 4g carbs, 3g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
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High Cholesterol at MCDONALD'S
Cholesterol is the biggest concern for people visiting McDonald's, especially people suffering from high cholesterol. You can order chicken or egg burgers instead of ham or cheeseburgers to maintain your cholesterol levels at McDonald's. In addition, you can also try the salads and opt for drinks that low in sugar.
Foods to Avoid at MCDONALD'S for High Cholesterol
Bacon-based items are often too greasy and high in bad cholesterol. If you are concerned about high cholesterol, then you must avoid all bacon-based burgers and salads. Also, skip the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Tenders to keep your cholesterol levels in check. You must also keep sausage-based items at bay when dining at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at MCDONALD'S
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 1g Protein
Egg White Delight McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 260 calories, 8g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 780mg sodium, 29g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 16g Protein
McChicken®
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 590mg sodium, 39g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 15g Protein
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Nutritional Facts: 140 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 125mg sodium, 22g carbs, 12g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g Protein
Hamburger Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 480 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 680mg sodium, 62g carbs, 21g sugar, 3g fiber, 22g Protein
Cappuccino
Nutritional Facts: 120 calories, 6g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 80mg sodium, 9g carbs, 9g sugar, 0g fiber, 6g Protein
Yoplait® GO-GURT® Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 0.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 30mg sodium, 9g carbs, 5g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
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Q & A for McDonald's
When McDonald's first opened?
McDonald's began its operations by converting food and drinks stand called "The Airdrome" into first McDonald's restaurant.
When does McDonald's open?
McDonald's opens daily at 5:30 AM and stays open until 11:00 PM.
Which McDonald's is open 24 hours?
Unfortunately, there are not a single McDonald's which operates 24/7.
Where's McDonald's near me?
There are over 13,905 McDonald's outlets in the United States itself. You can find a McDonald's nearby with the help of our Restaurant Listings directory.
When McDonald's start and stop serving breakfast?
McDonald's starts serving breakfast at 5:30 AM daily until 10:30 AM.
When McDonald's start and stop serving lunch?
McDonald's starts serving lunch at 10:30 AM from Monday to Friday and 11:00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy Meals are also served during lunch hours.
Will McDonald's bring back the McRib?
McRib is back at McDonald's since October 2018.
Will McDonald's bring back spicy McChicken?
McDonald's in the United States has no plans currently to bring back the Spicy McChicken.
Will McDonald's bring back the Grand Mac?
McDonald's doesn't serve Grand Mac currently and there are no plans to bring it back anytime sooner. You can always try the Big Mac if you have a large appetite for burgers.
Are McDonald's milkshakes gluten free?
Yes, all flavors of McDonald's milkshakes are gluten-free. Nearly all beverages served at McDonald's are gluten-free.
Are McDonald's burgers gluten-free?
Unfortunately, McDonald's does not serve gluten-free burgers. All the buns and other ingredients such as fried chicken patties, grilled chicken patties, beef patties, sauces, condiments, etc. contain gluten.
Are McDonald's Apple Pies vegan?
Generally, Apple Pies are prepared using shortcrust pastry which contains eggs. However, McDonald's Apple Pie pocket is vegan-friendly as it is both dairy and egg free.
Are McDonald's Veggie Burgers vegan?
Veggie Burgers served at McDonald's are purely vegan. Just remember to skip the sauce as the sandwich sauce contains egg.
Are McDonald's Milkshakes vegetarian?
Yes, McDonald's milkshakes are 100% vegetarian and don't contain any meat product.
When did McDonald's introduce McCafe?
McDonald's McCafe was introduced by McDonald's as a separate coffee chain in 1993. The café also served great bakery and pastry besides offering a great variety of coffee beverages.
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About McDonald's
McDonald's is the largest American fast food company with over 37,855 outlets spread across 100 countries. Primarily known for hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and French fries, McDonald's menu also serves chicken dishes, breakfast products, soft drinks, wraps, milkshakes, and desserts today. The restaurant chain introduced smoothies, salads, fish, and fruits on the menu to offer healthy food options at McDonald's.
The restaurant began its operations in 1940 in San Bernardino, California, United States. The name of the restaurant comes from its founders Richard and Maurice McDonald. The siblings started the food business as a hamburger stand which was later converted into a restaurant franchise in 1953. The first Golden Arches logo was also introduced in the same year.
Healthy Food Options at McDonald's
McDonald's was highly criticized for its unhealthy food options. Being a renowned brand and a popular fast food chain, McDonald's decided to revamp its image and decided to serve healthy food options. Most of these healthy food choices were salads, smoothies, fruits, and fish items.
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Address :
2000 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR, 97211 - Phone (503) 459-4247
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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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Jennifer C.
These are the best tacos I've had since leaving Texas. OMG, they are so wonderful and I will not waste my money elsehwere! Unfortunately, I live entirely too close and have to practice extreme willpower or I'd be there every.single.day . $5 for 4 tacos or $4 for 4 between 4 and 5PM for happy hour. These prices cant be beat and the quality and authenticity are unreal. Get in my mouth, NOW!!
(5)Lawrence S.
Portland loves their fusion too much. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with it, but sometimes I feel like there's a lack of authentic stuff, and then when one actually pops up, a gaggle of idiots come leave bad reviews saying it doesn't taste at all like the fusion stuff they had. The "authentic" term is over-used, but I'm not saying that authenticity necessary makes it good, but you have to understand for people who grow up on this stuff, how much you care the old-school, authentic style when you're deprived of it. Real good mission style burritos. Everything about it tastes awesome. You know the two somewhat minor but very telling signs of a great burritos joint? One is a house-made salsa bar with actually spicy sauces in there. Two is real, fresh tortillas. There'll the little things that are often overlooked, even in an otherwise great burrito joint. This place has em both. As well, everything else tastes great. The rice has always been hot and tasty, not just like filler, I enjoy just as much when I get a bite with more rice. The lengua is melt in your mouth tender and full of flavor. As a certified burrito enthusiast who has eaten tons of em from San Diego to LA to Santa Barbara to San Francisco, I can say this is by far the best Mexican joint I've found in Portland so far - or Oregon for that matter.
(5)Rebecca M.
Solid Mexican food on a budget that makes for a nice reprieve from the trendier (and pricier) establishments surrounding. The young man working the cash register was so polite that 24 hours later I'm still appreciating how human he made me feel. Ordered it to go - food was ready quickly.
(5)Mallory S.
I love this place! Good pricing and good food and the people are very nice. This place is wayyy better than la sirenita
(5)Ryan J.
Hate to do it. This was my first time here. I was told that the food was great and pretty cheap. I'm from Austin Texas. Not to brag but I know my Mexican food. The food tasted like watered down meat. I ordered about 30 dollars worth of different stuff. Every bit of it was terrible. The salsa tasted like they had been filling it with water all day. If you have bad salsa you have bad food. I don't think I will be coming back. The ceviche had ice all over it. When my girlfriend ordered the food the cook rolled his eyes and grumbled something and walked away. 30 dollars spent (wasted) they couldn't even put all the fixings on the burrito! I hope to get a reply from the owner soon. No one asked me how my food was. I was prepared to explain why it was awful. Don panchos NO THANK YOU!!!
(1)Paul P.
Ordered 4 tacos for $5 at don Mancho! Not only is that a great deal but the tacos were on par with a much pricier establishment like Por Que No. The ambience of the place was lacklustre but unlike Por Que No, there was no line and I got my food in under five minutes. Would highly recommend this place for a good, cheap authentic taco
(5)Stanley T.
This is my "go to" lunch spot when I'm on Alberta for whatever reason. There are a few taquerias I like better, but the Don Pancho folks are always friendly and always serve me good food.
(4)Nozenji P.
I've been eating Mexican food since 1977. I've been to Mexico 6 times and have eaten local food every time. I think this place is GREAT.
(5)Jenny H.
Having spent some serious time/lived in San Francisco and San Diego, two places known for their taquerias, I'm always belly aching over the lack of good Mexican food in Portland. El Farolito, wah wah wah, La Posta, boo hoo hoo. I want a burrito made with love. I want the tortilla grilled a little bit. I want avocado chunks and good salsa and chicken that doesn't gross me out. Enter Don Pancho. Maybe it was because I had spent some quality time at The Nest across the street and was in serious need of some complex carbohydrates to counteract the booze party going on in my stomach, but this place was GOOD. I consumed the chicken quesadilla in 2.4 minutes. My friends finished off the best $4.99 nachos I've ever seen (Chopped chicken! Refried beans! So much salt it was almost a problem but we were drinking and it kind of fit all together!) in 47 seconds. Don Pancho was kind of like the mysterious stranger who walked over and kissed me on the cheek right when I needed it most. And he got refried beans all over my face, but I didn't mind at all.
(4)michael p.
There are many burritos on Alberta, Don Pancho's is the best. Their hot sauces on the condiment bar are supreme. The horchata is a little sweeter than most, but good nonetheless. highest recommendations for Don Pancho Taqueria
(5)Sylvia S.
This place is almost the perfect mexican restaurant. Cheap prices, food made right when you order and it is delicious plus the grocery store next door keeps you entertained while you wait for your name to be called. It is not a pretty place but its clean and the service is attentive. The chicken enchiladas are a must try.
(4)Jonny C.
om nom nom nom. good mexican food in a great location. hamburger is a deal.
(4)Kelly M.
Don Pancho combines all your Mexican needs in one with its combination Taqueria and Mercado. So even if much of the Mexican population that used to call Albert home has left for cheaper rents in other parts of town, you can still get your Mexican groceries and pinatas here. They even advertise selling Camisetas Hawaianas for only ten bucks! The adjacent taqueria serves up comida autentica at fair prices. Despite the presence of a little too much lettuce in the burrito, it's not a bad 'rrito on Alberta.
(4)Scott D.
I used to live a few blocks from this place, and their Carne Asada plate is literally the best in the city. You can get Pulque here as well, which is really the icing on the cake for me. The arroz con leche is also awesome, but I think you have to get that at the mercado which is attached to the taqueria. You can also get the Carne Asada at the mercado uncooked and it's the same stuff they sell at the taqueria.
(5)rick r.
Two word: Carnitas Sabado. Their food is really good in general, but the carnitas at Don Pancho rocks. Sadly, it's only there on Saturdays. Que sera. The tacos are really good. The tamales are tasty (go with the cheese imho). The pescado is ...um....authentic...and good. The people are friendly. And it's a taqueria with beer. What does it take to get a taqueria with beer? There's that crappy one with the fish tacos that everyone loves in southeast. Cha Cha Cha has beer. But dangit, sometimes a beer is so good with tacos it has to be done. And Don Pancho does it. The burritos are good. Don Pancho isn't "A number 1" and I give it five stars...only to differentiate it from the other 4-star joints on Alberta. It's just a bit better. Especially on precious Saturdays.
(5)Cindy I.
Okay not impressed. It was greasy and the cheese was bland. Overall seemed very low end. Maybe it's the meat choice the chicken was not very interesting and I'm tired of greasy swimming chicken on my burritos.
(2)sarah k.
holy shit. where have i been all my life. i'll be walking down the street for tacos no more! this is the best.
(5)Mel G.
Enchiladas verdes... really good. Really sweet/nice staff, too.
(4)Vivian W.
Best bang for your buck. Authentic and very generous portions. What a hidden gem in the midst of fancy schmancy restaurants!
(5)Andrew H.
Don Pancho has good, solid burritos. It's amazing how many great street taco and authentic Mexican places I've found since moving up here. I figured that when I left Texas that it would be one of those things that I would miss a lot (along with great bbq, which I'm still having a tough time with that one) but I keep finding really good food. DP has a great selection of meat choices (and veg options for some of you out there) and the prices are good. I've been here a few times and I'd get there more often, but I no longer live in the immediate area. I enjoyed the sauces that they had and they had some nice kick to them. I always like to have my tongue on fire. I always say that if I'm not sweating, then it's not good. I had beads of sweat across my bald noggin. Good food, good sauces, good prices. Enjoy.
(3)JW R.
I'd been meaning to try this place for a long, long time, I finally put a reminder to do so on my phone during a three day weekend. Today was that third day. I was looking at the menu and I'd almost settled on a quesadilla when I saw a sign attached to the bottom offering for sale gorditas. Some worthless hippy of my former acquaintance ranted at length once about how "real" gorditas were SO MUCH BETTER than what Taco Bell called the same. I probably ended up making her cry over it, and we weren't even dating! *rimshot* So you see, authenticity is a dirty word to me, I have no idea nor care if the gorditas Don Pancho served to me fit someone's arbitrary notions of food purity, but it was pretty damn good. I was expecting a fat taco, I got a sandwich on crispy bread. When I picked it up the very friendly lady behind the counter handed me a silverware rollup: "You might need this". She said. So I did, to enjoy the steak salad that was left behind once my sammich shuffled loose this mortal coil. Into my stomach. They had bottled beer and fountain pop, plus what seemed like the normal range of south of the border bottled soft drinks. I got a beer. Three day weekend, y'all.
(4)Tiffani J.
4x4 tacos are the business! It's a nice little spot for Saturday morning breakfast. Picky kids? They have chicken nuggets and French fries. The menu is huge - I've tried several items but the tacos are the best, hands down. Go for the chicken or carne Asada.
(5)Richard S.
Hands down the best tacos and Mexican in Portland. Portland has food trucks. It has "Mexican" restaurants. It even has some Mexicans! I went to college in Southern California and nothing fulfills my need and desire to eat delicious tacos and radishes like this place. In l.a this place would be a go to spot. It's an la 3.5/4 but in Portland it's a 5. I dunno why the idea of a taco joint is so hard to do, but they do it super legit here. Thank you Mexico and thank you don pancho. Whoever you are.
(5)Charmi R.
To tell u guys the truth, I didn't like this place at all, and I'm Mexican! Lol There was no favor to the food. I order a torta and a sope and they didn't have to taste. Not even the sauces. And I ordered an agua fresca mango flavor, didn't taste like it. It tasted like water with sugar. I give it a two star cause of the prices, the food, 0 stars.
(2)Alex D.
It's not the best place for authentic Mexican food in Portland, it's the ONLY place. You can keep that weak hipster garbage that pollutes PDX (if I have one more taco plate with smoky chipotle salsa, I'm gonna smack someone with a My Bloody Valentine LP) , this is el articulo autentico. I'm just a little biased; I've been spoiled by top of the line Mexican food in LA. But, tasty, well done sopes, nachos, and cheese enchiladas shows that this is by far the best mexican restaurant in PDX. No one else here knows what they're doing.
(5)J D S.
This review is for Don Pancho as a Mexican market - a tienda. I cook a lot, and I cook a lot of Mexican dishes, in the spirit of Diana Kennedy, Rick Bayless and innumerable Santa Fe cooks. Having moved from the SF Bay Area, Portland first appeared to be a total wasteland when it came to Mexican ingredients; essentials like achiote paste, dried chiles and prepared masa for making fresh tortillas. The first impression of Don Panchos is that something like gang warfare is going on behind its more or less windowless outside. Ignore this impression; what you really have behind this gruff exterior is a combination of a taqueria and a rather well-stocked if compact Mexican grocery store. I have not tried the taqueria/restaurant, but I can vouch for the grocery. There is a very respectable meat counter (carneceria) with beautiful fresh cuts and also marinated specialties, all at very competitive prices. And there is a well-stocked grocery store with everything you might need to create authentic dishes, from five different types of canned chipotle chile in adobo to a staggering variety of dried chiles in large bags, at a fraction of the price you might pay at a Whole Foods or New Seasons for a bag 1/4 the size. If you care about Mexican cooking and have been looking for an ingredient source, Don Pancho rises to the occasion.
(5)Doug S.
(Please see my reviews of Lorenzo's and Old Town Pizza) So plan C is a burrito and a movie! We head to Don Pancho's and WE HAVE A WINNER. Remember: COLD, yes; DANGEROUS: no! The owner told us he would not shut down if aliens attacked his restaurant (something about his father-in-law kicking his butt). He just laughed at our story. he said he is closed only when business stops AFTER 10:00. he will serve the hungry. this is probably why he has outlasted a bunch of other places. For $12.00 we ate and had enough left over for lunch. So if you need food tomorrow when it is actually snowing, head to this spot. It will be open!
(4)Laura S.
Good, gigantic burritos and authentic tacos in a little hole-in-the-wall taqueria. On the cheaps and about as much ambiance as your local 7-11. Try the gorditas, they are of an entirely different ilk from the things served at taco bell. Don Pancho's gordita is all the stuff you wish you could fit on your taco (meat, crema, cotija, pico de gallo, lettuce, beans etc.), sandwiched between two thick, crumbly, corn tortilla-like things. I get the marinated chicken gordita. It is messy and so good. It will require a fork, unless you like half your lunch in your lap. The produce at the market isn't the freshest or the cheapest, but they have big bags of every dried chile imaginable and you can get their marinated meats from the butcher section at the back to cook up at home (pretty sure it's the same stuff they use in the taqueria) which are just delicious.
(4)Hongyuan J.
Oh I miss the taco there..the one with beef tongue is to die for. Even better than some street tacos I've tried in Mexico city.
(5)Liz W.
The carne asada tacos are legit. Inexpensive as well! I love real Mexican food.
(4)Johana M.
After nearly a year in Portland-post-Callifornia, I've searched for, and found enough sub-par burritos to fuel many long nights of yelping. Let's add another one to the list! I had really high hopes as I entered Don's. The dishes looked really tradiotional and totally reminded me of that one taqueria (you know, your favorite...) you absolutely CRAVE when you want some bomb-ass mexican food. Killer burrito, you know? The guy at the front counter was really nice , I would still give an "A" for customer service. And they have a salsa bar- I like! Anyway, I went for my fav choice, veggie burrito combo with rice and beans. Mis compadres had carnitas enchiladas and a beef torta. They came quickly, and I'll be damned if everything didn't look SO promising! ALAS..... The rice was yellow and crunchy in spots as if it had been sitting out for quite a while. No flavor was tasted. The refried beans were super thick and of a paste-like consistency, also tasteless. I hoped otherwise for the burrito, but ugh....more beans and lots of them. The lettuce,cheese and tomatos were amongst the beans somewhere, I think. Chips, stale- totally defeating the purpose of a perfectly good salsa bar. My BF said the torta was lacking in taste, and wished he had gotten the enchiladas, which were an otherwise good review. Great service, too bad about the food. If there is a next time, I'd try tacos.
(2)Marty X.
Walked in with $3, left with a dream. Two veggie tacos and a fresh mexican doughnut from the market next door. OK, I also bought some hot sauce for $2 after sampling from their extensive selection (all available in the dining area). I'm not quick to say 'Best in Portland', but I'll tell you this is some no-nonsense eating, and the owners and employees of this establishment are super friendly and inviting. This gringo will return!
(5)Dan S.
Hole in the wall that we happened upon on Alberta. Kinda small, kinda grungy, just the kinda place to get decent Mexi. Not great, but then again not too many mexican joints reach 4 or 5 star levels. But it got the job done on the cheap. For $13 bucks I had tamales (too dry) with beans and rice, while my wife had a fat veggie burrito. Too big for her to finish and that was good news for me. It was delish. The total also included soft drinks and a side chips. Ole!
(3)Shannon M.
Great tamales, massive burritos and torta (an old favorite from the Yucatan)!
(4)Joe m.
Nopales tacos and burritos have arrived on their breakfast menu (that is served all day). Nopales are excellent.
(4)Lady C.
Nice people but the food is not very good. The rice and beans were pretty bad. I had the enchiladas and the cheese wasn't completely melted. My husband had the fried fish which he said had no seasoning. The food is just blah. Maybe it's their taco special that gets them the good ratings.
(1)Nicole M.
Delicious, authentic and inexpensive. The way Mexican food should always be, but rarely is in Portland. Nothing makes me feel more at home than their tacos and fresh made salsas. Stop by the market next door for tortillas and some sweet bread to take home.
(5)Carl R.
Came here for the $1 tacos - not sure if it was a special for that day or if that's always the price, but you can't beat that! Overall, the meat could use more flavoring, was a little bland (so was the chicken burrito). Fast, efficient service. If they spice their meats up a bit, it'll be an easy 5 stars!
(4)Doug M.
The cool kids debate which is the best taqueria in Portland - La Sirenita or La Bonita, on the same block on NE Alberta. Meanwhile, down the street, Don Pancho's has quietly served more flavorful, more affordable Mexican fare for years. Maybe it's a little too authentic looking - with the faded but garish exterior, phone card signs and attached Mexican grocery store next door. Nothing against its two neighbors, but this place has earned my loyalty. The food is just too good. I love the carne asada, especially.
(5)sarah c.
I used to stop in here if I didn't want to walk further to La Sirenita. One morning I wanted a breakfast burrito. The woman who was working made a show of how annoyed she was that I was asking to make changes to the burrito. I finally thanked her and went to leave, and she started yelling at me. It was bizarre. I went down the street and the exact burrito I wanted was on the menu at La Sirenita. I haven't been back to this location since.
(1)Dave H.
I got my usual dish (bean cheese and rice burrito) to start. I've always figured if you can't get those right, and you can't make a salsa I want to come back for, why would I come back? Well, the beans, the rice, the cheese, the tortilla. They were all alright. The salsa bar had a beautiful looking salsa roja that, which she was good, she just didn't have the right flavor. Then I met her. Then habanero salsa. Oh, she was made for me, and I for her. She knew me in a way no salsa has before. When I needed a bite of cheesy spice, she was there for me. It was love at first bite, and I am hers. I don't normally love a salsa like this. The burning, the crying, they're usually not worth it. But I think that I might need to have an awkward talk with some salsas who mean a lot to me. I may have a new salsa in my life.
(4)Loren B.
Had planned on going to one of the great Alberta Street breakfast places for a late breakfast but they were all packed and we didnt feel like waiting an hour to eat. So walking down Alberta we came upon this place. Its a seedy looking little place attached to a Mexican grocery. They didn't have any line at all so we decided to do it. I got the enchiladas with carnitas. Lunch took forever to prepare and really I was dissapointed overall. The food was lacking flavor, the steak tacos were bland as were the enchiladas. They do have a small salsa bar with pickled carrots, that was the high point for me. I don't think i'll be coming back here.
(1)Tommy T.
My favorite burrito on Alberta. Being a vegan there are only a few options but they are pretty damn good. With the addition of Soyrizo to the menu and the ability to get it in taquitos (and everything else) my opinion has gone up. The veggies burrito and the Veggie breakfast burrito (served all day) are some of the best in Portland. There is fountain soda with horchata and jarritos available, there is also beer. The staff are funny and always welcoming.
(4)Christen M.
When it comes to burritos on Alberta, I generally prefer La Bonita -- I prefer whole beans to refried pintos, which Don Pancho uses, and the service is a bit slower here. Most days. But on those days when I do want a refried bean burrito, I hit Don Pancho. A plus is that the burritos are a teeny bit cheaper here, though they, too, have recently raised their prices. Most of my meat-eating companions, however, come to Don Pancho for more sit-down-style Mexican food, though this is most assuredly an order-at-the-counter not-a-lot-of-ambience kinda joint. There are many traditional dishes here with extremely generous portions and low prices. Also worth noting is that there's a small Mexican grocery right next door to Don Pancho, useful for scouting out ingredients for a homemade Mexican feast.
(4)Jon R.
Good mexican food, GREAT beans and rice, and the guys who work there are cool.
(4)Erin O.
This is a decent taqueria, much frequented for the enchilada plate and carne asada. The horchata is a bit grainy unfortunately. But, I love popping into the mercado next door for something good to take home. (like the crazy mexican mayo. it has lime in it. come on, you know you're intrigued...)
(3)tara p.
It's cheap as hell, service is fast, the counter people are super friendly, and there are some standout menu items: the tamales (ordered wet), and the tacos, and if you just want a world of cheese, the quesadillas are good too. Not mindblowing, but definitely high quality and somewhere I find myself frequenting.
(4)Jeremy S.
Pretty darn good overall. The ambience is non-existent, but hey, what do you expect. I got 3 tacos, beef, pork and fish. The beef was just OK - not terribly flavorful, but nor bad. The pork was AMAZING. Delicious chunks hanging out in this lovely barbecue-y tomato-y saucy. Yum!! The fish taco was in between - not as good as the pork, better than the beef. And allk for $1.25 each, next time it's 3 pork tacos (or a pork burrito even)! My wife got the beef burrito plate, and the beef in the burrito had the same problem as the beef in my taco did. She was also puzzled by the lack of rice or beans or, well, anything else but beef in the burrito. I mean, it may as well have been called a "beef roll" or something. Another strange thing was that I ordered a side of sour cream for my tacos, and they presented me with 2 large scoops of sour cream. I was thinking "I asked for sour cream, not ice cream"! I mean, I barely used 1/4 of it. It was the first time I've ever felt compelled to take a condiment home! So, overall, it was a pleasant experience, and I'm psyched to have more of their pork. Would definitely go back and try other things on the menu.
(4)Xander A.
I don't think there's a better quick Mexican place in all of Portland. Oh. I'm sorry. I mean, if there's no better real and authentic Mexican food in Portland. As a Mexican, from So-Cal, Portland has pissed me off with their hipsters and hippie types demanding Mexican food places in the fair city of Portland carter to their desires that they forsake the traditional food of their people to that which fits their vegan and vegetarian friendly ways. Note to white privilege types... no true Mexican food is vegetarian. Well, okay, enchiladas can be, but not much else. True Spanish style rice is made with chicken broth, beans made with lard... get the fuck over it. It's how we've been doing it for centuries because it tastes better. Don Pancho does all of this right. Their rice and beans are great. Their meats ever so delicious. They place Spanish language TV and soccer on their tiny television. And their salsa bar is pretty awesome. It reminds me of places I use to go to in Baja California, when my grandmother lived there. No place in Portland reminds me of that. Except for this place. In short, if you want to know what real Mexican food tastes like, unaffected by white influence, Don Pancho's is the place. And most likely, the only place, in Portland. It's also inexpensive, like good Mexican food should be. I wish there was one closer to where I love. But for now, I will travel up to Alberta to get their amazing food. It's sad more Mexican food in Portland isn't this good.
(5)Tony T.
Typical Taqueria. There's a market attached to this one too. Food was good, prices were pretty cheap (4 Tacos for $4 / 3 Enchiladas for $9).
(4)Luna T.
Yuck! Whatever you do, don't eat their carnitas. I got the 4 tacos for a dollar which are pretty small and from each taco I pulled out big, thick slabs of fat.. gross! The meat is drenched in greased with burnt pieces char.
(1)Dan H.
This place is a dive. I mean that in the nicest way possible. Needed to find some food to take with me to Every Day Wine down the street. Is there a better meal than a burrito and red wine? Probably, but honestly I don't care. I had a Carnitas Burrito. Pretty simple and messy. Not exactly first date food, but luckily my date didn't see me hoover it up. It is a good and inexpensive burrito. Nothing less. Nothing more. They do have some nice spicy sauces that I'm thinking are made in house.
(3)Pete H.
Good nachos. I've had the pollo and the carnitas here. The pollo at Don Pancho is different from most- it is cooked in a kind of red sauce that makes it very flavorful. Really good tacos, too. And only $1.25 each. The place is really small and a little untidy. I've never eaten here, choosing to take it out instead. Alberta is a street full of good Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurants. It seems like every one of these spots has some things that make them stand out. At Don Pancho, one of these things is the spicy carrots at the condiment bar. And the red sauce (let me be clearer, the DARK red sauce) is the bomb. Spicy, but not a "Total Death" heat rating, with a really nice aftertaste. On a street with some many choices for Mexican, Don Pancho holds it own.
(3)Jennifer H.
Good food at GREAT prices.... Can't complain. If your in the area and crave Mexican, stop by, but I would not make a special Don Pancho trip. :)
(3)David R.
If you took the recipes and menu from an Azteca chain restaurant and shifted it inside a Mexican grocery store, you'd have Don Pancho's. I want to love this place -- it's a neighborhood stalwart. It's locally owned and run. It feels, walking in the door, like an awesome little Mexican hole-in-the-wall. It's got a great little condiment bar that includes hot pickled carrots, peppers, and other genuine garnishes. But every time I taste the food (which has now been on 4 different occasions), I am just blown away by how chain restaurant it tastes. On a street with El Nutri Taco, La Bonita, and La Sirenita, there is just no reason to go here unless you've been drinking nearby and the other spots are just too far to stumble.
(2)Kat S.
Not even sure why I'm putting one star! This place is so NOT good. I wouldn't let my dog here. We ordered and she didn't give me the chips I paid for...then they gave out order to someone else and made all 4 of us absorb her mistake. The enchilada had tomato sauce for the enchilada sauce and we found a hair in our taco. Also - the tamale looked like it was made a century ago! Please stay away from this place! How did people give this more than one star? It is so bad!!
(1)Cassandra C.
Great street tacos for a buck each! Took kind of long to prepare. But food was good and a nice relaxed atmosphere!
(4)Lisa K.
For the restaurant, not the tienda (I didn't go in there). I visit Portland from San Francisco. And I'm interested in trying a lot of food in Portland. But, generally, not Mexican food. So this wouldn't be my top choice anyway, but we were a little desperate to get some food to go. It was a mistake. The rice was WAY too salty, especially by itself, and had a very fake, over-chickeny flavor. We threw most of that away. And we threw away all of the carne asada taco - don't try that. It looks more microwaved than grilled, and the meat itself is pretty scary. Oddly enough the pork tamale was fine and the chicken seemed ok. The employee was friendly, but 2 orders were messed up - the carne asada was supposed to be only meat, nothing else, and a bean taco was supposed to have everything, but they came out backwards. Making for a sad bean taco. I would never go back.
(2)Brian N.
Had a carne asada chimichanga here that was pretty decent. You can't get a chimichanga just anywhere, you know...Although the rice was coooked perfectly and had good flavor, the meat was underseasoned and made me think to myself that I could've done better with a vegan burrito....now THAT is bad news. They did offer some nice cinnamon tea on the house, which was interesting. Hype. yelp.com/biz_photos/Sdx8…
(3)Lindsay B.
If you want a quick bite and are not a picky eater, this is a great hole in the wall place to duck into for a quick bite of Mexican food. My enchiladas were a very sad excuse for an entree but my boyfriend had a burrito that he raved about all night. They have a great salsa bar and the connection to the mart next door is a pretty cool touch.
(3)Sofia C.
The subtext of the institution of the dollar taco might be, what can you really expect? You're only paying one dollar, how good does it have to be? In my few months in Portland I explored this concept, dollar tacos are everywhere in PDX. But those at Don Panchos are the apex taco to which all other dollar tacos should strive to be. I tried most on the menu but really it's all about the carnitas. There is a sizable condiment/salsa bar: radishes, pickled jalapeños and carrots, and about 4 different kinds of salsa. I had rice and beans and there were just fine, nothing miraculous, but just perfectly solid. The torta was also delicious. My bf and I actually could never remember the name and only called it "Dollar Tacos" and found ourself there at least once a week, if not more. The little side store attached has some cool Mexican ingredients including fresh blue corn tortillas (!), produce, meats, spices and herbal remedies. Nom nom nom
(5)DJ G.
Yesss. For me, this is the real deal. Inconspicuous building with DON PANCHO written outside and totally killer burritos inside. Sure, La Serenita and La Bonita are a few blocks away, but this feels like a SoCal burrito stand in style and price. My favorite is a hearty chicken burrito in the wet-burrito style. Pour on the green sauce and massage my arteries because YEAH, time to eat. A favorite place to sit outside and watch for dudes carrying boom boxes while riding on skateboards pulled by panting dogs. When you throw in the fact that they carry food as a grocery store, my five stars is barely contained. Avoid the lines of its easterly siblings and check out The Pancho.
(5)Joseph H.
Ate here while the little lady was getting a haircut up the street. Out of nowhere, good mexican food! This is simple fare, they have a market next door that they grab ingredients from. It's a wonderful arrangement and everything comes off as purist Taqueria food. IT may not be the fanciest, but the essentials are absolutely nailed. All the favorites are present on the menu. It's not as clean as it could be, but I've never been hurt, Pancho only serves love. Get it while it's hot!
(4)Jessica C.
This review is for those with gluten/dairy/processed foods restrictions. Click on the link above for some pics! The best places are usually the most unexpected. When they are a local business sometimes the servers are a little bit more lenient about making substitutions. What we ordered: Beef stew, Chicken plate and Steak Plate How we ordered it: We asked for no rice or beans. So they actually deducted the price of a side of rice and beans from the price of the plate. If only we could get that kind of service everywhere else... Cost: Given that they deducted the price for us because we asked for no rice and beans, the price was a lot lower than listed. If I were more organized I would have written the prices down, but I didn't. But I do know that this place would be considered cheap in my book. ~$4/plate. Quality: We're not sure about the quality of the meat. It definitely tasted good, but we're not really sure where it's coming from. The pork on the carnitas plate was a bit chewy and dry, but very flavorful. The stew was for sure the best plate. It had whole chunks of carrot and chayote, chunks of meat...tasty. Quantity: The stew is humungous. If you move the bowl the soup will spill over everywhere! Entrees were OK, for the price, but the beef stew is mos' def the way to go! Pretty bare to the bones hole in the wall place, but well worth it.
(4)Joshua C.
So occasionally I watch "So You Think You Can Dance" with my much better half...some mad crazy dancers. While the show is sufficiently entertaining I really abhor Mary Murphy (the judge who screams instead of saying anything intelligent). She makes nails on a chalk board sound like Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. Even Paula Abdul who never has anything useful to say on Idol is better. So why get all bent out of shape? What the heck does this have anything to do with one of my favorite Taquerias? Well in those brief moments between screaming she occasionally says stupid things to the contestants like "You're on the Hot Tamale train!" and that's unfortunately what derailed my thoughts as I began to write. Let me just state that other than affordable housing and skilled drivers there's nothing harder to find in Hawaii than good Mexican food (really, there's even snow...http://www.bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/ÂpastExhibits/2001/xtreme/images/MaunaKeaWithSnow.Âjpg). So while Portland's no California in this regard...it's no Hawaii either. I've had nothing, but friendly service from the brothers who run this little take out counter with seats. Adjacent to a Mexican Grocery store this place has that hole-in-the-wallness about it that just feels right. I mean it'd be weird to me if this place had a Pearl-ized look, and they certainly wouldn't be serving $1.50 Hot Tamales. And that's what I come for. I love the exact moment when I walk into the cool night air, little warm plastic container of two "wet" tamales in hand, pop open the lid and breathe in. I've swung in a few time now and they've yet to make it back to the car. I won't even try to judge or compare just how good the Mexican food served here is. All I know is that $3 is more than reasonable for a little meal of just spicy enough goodness. And in those rare moments where I'm actually responsible enough to live within my means....that's really all I need to know anyway.
(3)Matt J.
Good, cheap tamales and carne asada tacos. Great for a quick bite.
(3)Ryan H.
This review was part of my quest for the perfect Southern Californian Carne Asada Burrito: The inside of this joint looked just fine. Like any other taqueria on the streets of San Diego. I went up to the counter and asked the gentleman for my carne asada burrito. He seemed excited! "We have our own source of meat and we've been doing it this way for 20 years! We are always told we are the closest to Southern California." Nice guy, he got my hopes up. The cost of the burrito rang up on the register for $4.10. I sat down with my buddy at one of the tables and waited for the order. About 5min later (at the most) I get a call at the counter that my burrito is ready. I pick up the plate and bring it back to the table with a knife. At first glance it was wrapped in tin foil, and rather small. I was a little worried. I cut the burrito in half to see what awaited inside. What I found was a decent amount of guacamole, not much salsa, and what appeared to be a shredded consistency of carne asada. As anyone from Southern California knows, carne asada burritos have diced meat. Perhaps I should have specified this beforehand, it was something I didn't give much consideration. We were on a time sensitive deadline here, so I tossed half of the burrito to my assistant and we tore the foil off. The tortilla was great. The flavor of the carne asada was pretty quality. The guacamole tasted good too. It just didn't taste So Cal at all. It was small, the consistency was off, and there was almost no salsa. I looked around for salsa options, and on the counter they had every type of liquid hot sauce you can imagine. I didn't see a salsa bar for custom creations. The squeeze bottle salsa they had was dark, somewhat flavorless, but not too bad. * Overall Rating: B- (too small), A- carne asada flavor. Price: $4.10 * Beans / Rice: Yes * Excluded: Yes * Salsa / Guac: Little / Yes (good) * Salsa Bar: No, but plenty of hot sauce choices. * Tortilla: Very good, supposedly grilled but tasted fine. I like steamed more anyway. * Size: Pretty tiny. * Assistant's Rating: "B+. Best Quality" My overall impression was that this would be a great QUALITY burrito (if it had more salsa), but didn't match southern california very well. It was too expensive for the size, and the meat consistency was off. We headed out and down the street to La Sirentia.
(3)niko k.
This place is the real deal. 5 stars and really it should be 10. When it comes to a Taqueria, Don Pacho's nails it. Coming from Southern California, i've grown up having lots of Mexican food from taco trucks to more expensive restaurants that put an American spin on classics. But my all time favorite is homemade Mexican food that you get at your Aunt or Grandma's house in Mexico. My sister in law in Mexico cooks the best stuff at my brothers house in Mexicali. The homemade corn tortillas, pollo, fresh guacamole, and all the fixings. Taquitos, tacos, rice, beans and the best enchiladas. Very few places throughout Los Angeles and San Francisco ever compared so when I moved to Portland in 2008 I really thought I'd have a tough time finding good quality Mexican food. I tried a few places with not much luck and only finding a few taco trucks that were the only good food in the city. Then I moved to the Alberta district from SW and discovered this place on my way to Bishops. The first thing I tried there was the burrito. Quality flour tortilla, rich ingredients, the best tasting chicken, rice and beans, guacamole and at the perfect size. No sour cream though! Sour cream is not Mexican and has no place in Mexican food. The servers only put the option there for white kids. But it ruins the taste in the end. Guacamole. Do it. But on with the review, I started going here more often and discovered the tacos and enchiladas and that this place was as authentic as you can get in the states. Friendly staff, speedy cooking time and you can sit down and have a Modelo while you wait. The atmosphere is comfortable, Mariachi music playing, rarely crowded, and not too big. When the food arrives you feel like it's your Aunt or in my case sister in law serving you at their house and that you're always welcome, even if you're white like me. The best by far in Portland and by definition the best in Oregon and probably even a shot for the title in the entire northwest with only Memo's in Seattle as an opposing contender. If you're looking for quality, authentic and most important amazing Mexican food, look no further, you've found it. Skip muchas gracias, skip the taco trucks (unless you're leaving the bars downtown), and skip the restaurants in the pearl that call everyone Senor and Amigos by trying to amuse their white customers. Don Pancho: the reigning king of Mexican cuisine in Oregon.
(5)Reed E.
Don Pancho is one of my favorite taco shops. It's pretty authentic mexican food, and the people are always really nice. They don't have ceviche on the menu, but when I ask for it they don't mind at all, and serve me some of the tastiest ceviche I've had. Though it is a little heavy on the lime juice. The tacos are pretty good too, just the right amount of greasiness. The attached market has some awesome homemade salsa (hot!!!), and fresh cotija cheese. Glad this place is within walking distance.
(4)Mikaela S.
i think im in love. your tacos make me swoon. your service is great and you make my baby laugh. and most importantly, you don't make gringo tacos. i seriously can not stand cheese, lettuce and tomato and sour cream and all that crap on tacos. all you nee dis meat, cilantro, lime and salsa people....and you did it don pancho...you did it :::tear rolls down cheek::
(5)Inez G.
about time I had real Mexican food here Portland. I give it a 5 because they serve menudo everyday.
(5)Rebecca M.
Solid Mexican food on a budget that makes for a nice reprieve from the trendier (and pricier) establishments surrounding. The young man working the cash register was so polite that 24 hours later I'm still appreciating how human he made me feel. Ordered it to go - food was ready quickly.
(5)Mallory S.
I love this place! Good pricing and good food and the people are very nice. This place is wayyy better than la sirenita
(5)Mel G.
Enchiladas verdes... really good. Really sweet/nice staff, too.
(4)Vivian W.
Best bang for your buck. Authentic and very generous portions. What a hidden gem in the midst of fancy schmancy restaurants!
(5)Andrew H.
Don Pancho has good, solid burritos. It's amazing how many great street taco and authentic Mexican places I've found since moving up here. I figured that when I left Texas that it would be one of those things that I would miss a lot (along with great bbq, which I'm still having a tough time with that one) but I keep finding really good food. DP has a great selection of meat choices (and veg options for some of you out there) and the prices are good. I've been here a few times and I'd get there more often, but I no longer live in the immediate area. I enjoyed the sauces that they had and they had some nice kick to them. I always like to have my tongue on fire. I always say that if I'm not sweating, then it's not good. I had beads of sweat across my bald noggin. Good food, good sauces, good prices. Enjoy.
(3)Ryan J.
Hate to do it. This was my first time here. I was told that the food was great and pretty cheap. I'm from Austin Texas. Not to brag but I know my Mexican food. The food tasted like watered down meat. I ordered about 30 dollars worth of different stuff. Every bit of it was terrible. The salsa tasted like they had been filling it with water all day. If you have bad salsa you have bad food. I don't think I will be coming back. The ceviche had ice all over it. When my girlfriend ordered the food the cook rolled his eyes and grumbled something and walked away. 30 dollars spent (wasted) they couldn't even put all the fixings on the burrito! I hope to get a reply from the owner soon. No one asked me how my food was. I was prepared to explain why it was awful. Don panchos NO THANK YOU!!!
(1)Paul P.
Ordered 4 tacos for $5 at don Mancho! Not only is that a great deal but the tacos were on par with a much pricier establishment like Por Que No. The ambience of the place was lacklustre but unlike Por Que No, there was no line and I got my food in under five minutes. Would highly recommend this place for a good, cheap authentic taco
(5)Stanley T.
This is my "go to" lunch spot when I'm on Alberta for whatever reason. There are a few taquerias I like better, but the Don Pancho folks are always friendly and always serve me good food.
(4)Jennifer C.
These are the best tacos I've had since leaving Texas. OMG, they are so wonderful and I will not waste my money elsehwere! Unfortunately, I live entirely too close and have to practice extreme willpower or I'd be there every.single.day . $5 for 4 tacos or $4 for 4 between 4 and 5PM for happy hour. These prices cant be beat and the quality and authenticity are unreal. Get in my mouth, NOW!!
(5)Lawrence S.
Portland loves their fusion too much. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with it, but sometimes I feel like there's a lack of authentic stuff, and then when one actually pops up, a gaggle of idiots come leave bad reviews saying it doesn't taste at all like the fusion stuff they had. The "authentic" term is over-used, but I'm not saying that authenticity necessary makes it good, but you have to understand for people who grow up on this stuff, how much you care the old-school, authentic style when you're deprived of it. Real good mission style burritos. Everything about it tastes awesome. You know the two somewhat minor but very telling signs of a great burritos joint? One is a house-made salsa bar with actually spicy sauces in there. Two is real, fresh tortillas. There'll the little things that are often overlooked, even in an otherwise great burrito joint. This place has em both. As well, everything else tastes great. The rice has always been hot and tasty, not just like filler, I enjoy just as much when I get a bite with more rice. The lengua is melt in your mouth tender and full of flavor. As a certified burrito enthusiast who has eaten tons of em from San Diego to LA to Santa Barbara to San Francisco, I can say this is by far the best Mexican joint I've found in Portland so far - or Oregon for that matter.
(5)JW R.
I'd been meaning to try this place for a long, long time, I finally put a reminder to do so on my phone during a three day weekend. Today was that third day. I was looking at the menu and I'd almost settled on a quesadilla when I saw a sign attached to the bottom offering for sale gorditas. Some worthless hippy of my former acquaintance ranted at length once about how "real" gorditas were SO MUCH BETTER than what Taco Bell called the same. I probably ended up making her cry over it, and we weren't even dating! *rimshot* So you see, authenticity is a dirty word to me, I have no idea nor care if the gorditas Don Pancho served to me fit someone's arbitrary notions of food purity, but it was pretty damn good. I was expecting a fat taco, I got a sandwich on crispy bread. When I picked it up the very friendly lady behind the counter handed me a silverware rollup: "You might need this". She said. So I did, to enjoy the steak salad that was left behind once my sammich shuffled loose this mortal coil. Into my stomach. They had bottled beer and fountain pop, plus what seemed like the normal range of south of the border bottled soft drinks. I got a beer. Three day weekend, y'all.
(4)Tiffani J.
4x4 tacos are the business! It's a nice little spot for Saturday morning breakfast. Picky kids? They have chicken nuggets and French fries. The menu is huge - I've tried several items but the tacos are the best, hands down. Go for the chicken or carne Asada.
(5)Richard S.
Hands down the best tacos and Mexican in Portland. Portland has food trucks. It has "Mexican" restaurants. It even has some Mexicans! I went to college in Southern California and nothing fulfills my need and desire to eat delicious tacos and radishes like this place. In l.a this place would be a go to spot. It's an la 3.5/4 but in Portland it's a 5. I dunno why the idea of a taco joint is so hard to do, but they do it super legit here. Thank you Mexico and thank you don pancho. Whoever you are.
(5)Charmi R.
To tell u guys the truth, I didn't like this place at all, and I'm Mexican! Lol There was no favor to the food. I order a torta and a sope and they didn't have to taste. Not even the sauces. And I ordered an agua fresca mango flavor, didn't taste like it. It tasted like water with sugar. I give it a two star cause of the prices, the food, 0 stars.
(2)Alex D.
It's not the best place for authentic Mexican food in Portland, it's the ONLY place. You can keep that weak hipster garbage that pollutes PDX (if I have one more taco plate with smoky chipotle salsa, I'm gonna smack someone with a My Bloody Valentine LP) , this is el articulo autentico. I'm just a little biased; I've been spoiled by top of the line Mexican food in LA. But, tasty, well done sopes, nachos, and cheese enchiladas shows that this is by far the best mexican restaurant in PDX. No one else here knows what they're doing.
(5)Lady C.
Nice people but the food is not very good. The rice and beans were pretty bad. I had the enchiladas and the cheese wasn't completely melted. My husband had the fried fish which he said had no seasoning. The food is just blah. Maybe it's their taco special that gets them the good ratings.
(1)Nicole M.
Delicious, authentic and inexpensive. The way Mexican food should always be, but rarely is in Portland. Nothing makes me feel more at home than their tacos and fresh made salsas. Stop by the market next door for tortillas and some sweet bread to take home.
(5)Carl R.
Came here for the $1 tacos - not sure if it was a special for that day or if that's always the price, but you can't beat that! Overall, the meat could use more flavoring, was a little bland (so was the chicken burrito). Fast, efficient service. If they spice their meats up a bit, it'll be an easy 5 stars!
(4)Xander A.
I don't think there's a better quick Mexican place in all of Portland. Oh. I'm sorry. I mean, if there's no better real and authentic Mexican food in Portland. As a Mexican, from So-Cal, Portland has pissed me off with their hipsters and hippie types demanding Mexican food places in the fair city of Portland carter to their desires that they forsake the traditional food of their people to that which fits their vegan and vegetarian friendly ways. Note to white privilege types... no true Mexican food is vegetarian. Well, okay, enchiladas can be, but not much else. True Spanish style rice is made with chicken broth, beans made with lard... get the fuck over it. It's how we've been doing it for centuries because it tastes better. Don Pancho does all of this right. Their rice and beans are great. Their meats ever so delicious. They place Spanish language TV and soccer on their tiny television. And their salsa bar is pretty awesome. It reminds me of places I use to go to in Baja California, when my grandmother lived there. No place in Portland reminds me of that. Except for this place. In short, if you want to know what real Mexican food tastes like, unaffected by white influence, Don Pancho's is the place. And most likely, the only place, in Portland. It's also inexpensive, like good Mexican food should be. I wish there was one closer to where I love. But for now, I will travel up to Alberta to get their amazing food. It's sad more Mexican food in Portland isn't this good.
(5)Tony T.
Typical Taqueria. There's a market attached to this one too. Food was good, prices were pretty cheap (4 Tacos for $4 / 3 Enchiladas for $9).
(4)Luna T.
Yuck! Whatever you do, don't eat their carnitas. I got the 4 tacos for a dollar which are pretty small and from each taco I pulled out big, thick slabs of fat.. gross! The meat is drenched in greased with burnt pieces char.
(1)Dan H.
This place is a dive. I mean that in the nicest way possible. Needed to find some food to take with me to Every Day Wine down the street. Is there a better meal than a burrito and red wine? Probably, but honestly I don't care. I had a Carnitas Burrito. Pretty simple and messy. Not exactly first date food, but luckily my date didn't see me hoover it up. It is a good and inexpensive burrito. Nothing less. Nothing more. They do have some nice spicy sauces that I'm thinking are made in house.
(3)Pete H.
Good nachos. I've had the pollo and the carnitas here. The pollo at Don Pancho is different from most- it is cooked in a kind of red sauce that makes it very flavorful. Really good tacos, too. And only $1.25 each. The place is really small and a little untidy. I've never eaten here, choosing to take it out instead. Alberta is a street full of good Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurants. It seems like every one of these spots has some things that make them stand out. At Don Pancho, one of these things is the spicy carrots at the condiment bar. And the red sauce (let me be clearer, the DARK red sauce) is the bomb. Spicy, but not a "Total Death" heat rating, with a really nice aftertaste. On a street with some many choices for Mexican, Don Pancho holds it own.
(3)Jennifer H.
Good food at GREAT prices.... Can't complain. If your in the area and crave Mexican, stop by, but I would not make a special Don Pancho trip. :)
(3)David R.
If you took the recipes and menu from an Azteca chain restaurant and shifted it inside a Mexican grocery store, you'd have Don Pancho's. I want to love this place -- it's a neighborhood stalwart. It's locally owned and run. It feels, walking in the door, like an awesome little Mexican hole-in-the-wall. It's got a great little condiment bar that includes hot pickled carrots, peppers, and other genuine garnishes. But every time I taste the food (which has now been on 4 different occasions), I am just blown away by how chain restaurant it tastes. On a street with El Nutri Taco, La Bonita, and La Sirenita, there is just no reason to go here unless you've been drinking nearby and the other spots are just too far to stumble.
(2)Kat S.
Not even sure why I'm putting one star! This place is so NOT good. I wouldn't let my dog here. We ordered and she didn't give me the chips I paid for...then they gave out order to someone else and made all 4 of us absorb her mistake. The enchilada had tomato sauce for the enchilada sauce and we found a hair in our taco. Also - the tamale looked like it was made a century ago! Please stay away from this place! How did people give this more than one star? It is so bad!!
(1)Cassandra C.
Great street tacos for a buck each! Took kind of long to prepare. But food was good and a nice relaxed atmosphere!
(4)Lisa K.
For the restaurant, not the tienda (I didn't go in there). I visit Portland from San Francisco. And I'm interested in trying a lot of food in Portland. But, generally, not Mexican food. So this wouldn't be my top choice anyway, but we were a little desperate to get some food to go. It was a mistake. The rice was WAY too salty, especially by itself, and had a very fake, over-chickeny flavor. We threw most of that away. And we threw away all of the carne asada taco - don't try that. It looks more microwaved than grilled, and the meat itself is pretty scary. Oddly enough the pork tamale was fine and the chicken seemed ok. The employee was friendly, but 2 orders were messed up - the carne asada was supposed to be only meat, nothing else, and a bean taco was supposed to have everything, but they came out backwards. Making for a sad bean taco. I would never go back.
(2)Brian N.
Had a carne asada chimichanga here that was pretty decent. You can't get a chimichanga just anywhere, you know...Although the rice was coooked perfectly and had good flavor, the meat was underseasoned and made me think to myself that I could've done better with a vegan burrito....now THAT is bad news. They did offer some nice cinnamon tea on the house, which was interesting. Hype. yelp.com/biz_photos/Sdx8…
(3)Doug M.
The cool kids debate which is the best taqueria in Portland - La Sirenita or La Bonita, on the same block on NE Alberta. Meanwhile, down the street, Don Pancho's has quietly served more flavorful, more affordable Mexican fare for years. Maybe it's a little too authentic looking - with the faded but garish exterior, phone card signs and attached Mexican grocery store next door. Nothing against its two neighbors, but this place has earned my loyalty. The food is just too good. I love the carne asada, especially.
(5)sarah c.
I used to stop in here if I didn't want to walk further to La Sirenita. One morning I wanted a breakfast burrito. The woman who was working made a show of how annoyed she was that I was asking to make changes to the burrito. I finally thanked her and went to leave, and she started yelling at me. It was bizarre. I went down the street and the exact burrito I wanted was on the menu at La Sirenita. I haven't been back to this location since.
(1)Dave H.
I got my usual dish (bean cheese and rice burrito) to start. I've always figured if you can't get those right, and you can't make a salsa I want to come back for, why would I come back? Well, the beans, the rice, the cheese, the tortilla. They were all alright. The salsa bar had a beautiful looking salsa roja that, which she was good, she just didn't have the right flavor. Then I met her. Then habanero salsa. Oh, she was made for me, and I for her. She knew me in a way no salsa has before. When I needed a bite of cheesy spice, she was there for me. It was love at first bite, and I am hers. I don't normally love a salsa like this. The burning, the crying, they're usually not worth it. But I think that I might need to have an awkward talk with some salsas who mean a lot to me. I may have a new salsa in my life.
(4)Loren B.
Had planned on going to one of the great Alberta Street breakfast places for a late breakfast but they were all packed and we didnt feel like waiting an hour to eat. So walking down Alberta we came upon this place. Its a seedy looking little place attached to a Mexican grocery. They didn't have any line at all so we decided to do it. I got the enchiladas with carnitas. Lunch took forever to prepare and really I was dissapointed overall. The food was lacking flavor, the steak tacos were bland as were the enchiladas. They do have a small salsa bar with pickled carrots, that was the high point for me. I don't think i'll be coming back here.
(1)Tommy T.
My favorite burrito on Alberta. Being a vegan there are only a few options but they are pretty damn good. With the addition of Soyrizo to the menu and the ability to get it in taquitos (and everything else) my opinion has gone up. The veggies burrito and the Veggie breakfast burrito (served all day) are some of the best in Portland. There is fountain soda with horchata and jarritos available, there is also beer. The staff are funny and always welcoming.
(4)Lindsay B.
If you want a quick bite and are not a picky eater, this is a great hole in the wall place to duck into for a quick bite of Mexican food. My enchiladas were a very sad excuse for an entree but my boyfriend had a burrito that he raved about all night. They have a great salsa bar and the connection to the mart next door is a pretty cool touch.
(3)Sofia C.
The subtext of the institution of the dollar taco might be, what can you really expect? You're only paying one dollar, how good does it have to be? In my few months in Portland I explored this concept, dollar tacos are everywhere in PDX. But those at Don Panchos are the apex taco to which all other dollar tacos should strive to be. I tried most on the menu but really it's all about the carnitas. There is a sizable condiment/salsa bar: radishes, pickled jalapeños and carrots, and about 4 different kinds of salsa. I had rice and beans and there were just fine, nothing miraculous, but just perfectly solid. The torta was also delicious. My bf and I actually could never remember the name and only called it "Dollar Tacos" and found ourself there at least once a week, if not more. The little side store attached has some cool Mexican ingredients including fresh blue corn tortillas (!), produce, meats, spices and herbal remedies. Nom nom nom
(5)DJ G.
Yesss. For me, this is the real deal. Inconspicuous building with DON PANCHO written outside and totally killer burritos inside. Sure, La Serenita and La Bonita are a few blocks away, but this feels like a SoCal burrito stand in style and price. My favorite is a hearty chicken burrito in the wet-burrito style. Pour on the green sauce and massage my arteries because YEAH, time to eat. A favorite place to sit outside and watch for dudes carrying boom boxes while riding on skateboards pulled by panting dogs. When you throw in the fact that they carry food as a grocery store, my five stars is barely contained. Avoid the lines of its easterly siblings and check out The Pancho.
(5)Joseph H.
Ate here while the little lady was getting a haircut up the street. Out of nowhere, good mexican food! This is simple fare, they have a market next door that they grab ingredients from. It's a wonderful arrangement and everything comes off as purist Taqueria food. IT may not be the fanciest, but the essentials are absolutely nailed. All the favorites are present on the menu. It's not as clean as it could be, but I've never been hurt, Pancho only serves love. Get it while it's hot!
(4)Jessica C.
This review is for those with gluten/dairy/processed foods restrictions. Click on the link above for some pics! The best places are usually the most unexpected. When they are a local business sometimes the servers are a little bit more lenient about making substitutions. What we ordered: Beef stew, Chicken plate and Steak Plate How we ordered it: We asked for no rice or beans. So they actually deducted the price of a side of rice and beans from the price of the plate. If only we could get that kind of service everywhere else... Cost: Given that they deducted the price for us because we asked for no rice and beans, the price was a lot lower than listed. If I were more organized I would have written the prices down, but I didn't. But I do know that this place would be considered cheap in my book. ~$4/plate. Quality: We're not sure about the quality of the meat. It definitely tasted good, but we're not really sure where it's coming from. The pork on the carnitas plate was a bit chewy and dry, but very flavorful. The stew was for sure the best plate. It had whole chunks of carrot and chayote, chunks of meat...tasty. Quantity: The stew is humungous. If you move the bowl the soup will spill over everywhere! Entrees were OK, for the price, but the beef stew is mos' def the way to go! Pretty bare to the bones hole in the wall place, but well worth it.
(4)Joshua C.
So occasionally I watch "So You Think You Can Dance" with my much better half...some mad crazy dancers. While the show is sufficiently entertaining I really abhor Mary Murphy (the judge who screams instead of saying anything intelligent). She makes nails on a chalk board sound like Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. Even Paula Abdul who never has anything useful to say on Idol is better. So why get all bent out of shape? What the heck does this have anything to do with one of my favorite Taquerias? Well in those brief moments between screaming she occasionally says stupid things to the contestants like "You're on the Hot Tamale train!" and that's unfortunately what derailed my thoughts as I began to write. Let me just state that other than affordable housing and skilled drivers there's nothing harder to find in Hawaii than good Mexican food (really, there's even snow...http://www.bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/ÂpastExhibits/2001/xtreme/images/MaunaKeaWithSnow.Âjpg). So while Portland's no California in this regard...it's no Hawaii either. I've had nothing, but friendly service from the brothers who run this little take out counter with seats. Adjacent to a Mexican Grocery store this place has that hole-in-the-wallness about it that just feels right. I mean it'd be weird to me if this place had a Pearl-ized look, and they certainly wouldn't be serving $1.50 Hot Tamales. And that's what I come for. I love the exact moment when I walk into the cool night air, little warm plastic container of two "wet" tamales in hand, pop open the lid and breathe in. I've swung in a few time now and they've yet to make it back to the car. I won't even try to judge or compare just how good the Mexican food served here is. All I know is that $3 is more than reasonable for a little meal of just spicy enough goodness. And in those rare moments where I'm actually responsible enough to live within my means....that's really all I need to know anyway.
(3)Matt J.
Good, cheap tamales and carne asada tacos. Great for a quick bite.
(3)J D S.
This review is for Don Pancho as a Mexican market - a tienda. I cook a lot, and I cook a lot of Mexican dishes, in the spirit of Diana Kennedy, Rick Bayless and innumerable Santa Fe cooks. Having moved from the SF Bay Area, Portland first appeared to be a total wasteland when it came to Mexican ingredients; essentials like achiote paste, dried chiles and prepared masa for making fresh tortillas. The first impression of Don Panchos is that something like gang warfare is going on behind its more or less windowless outside. Ignore this impression; what you really have behind this gruff exterior is a combination of a taqueria and a rather well-stocked if compact Mexican grocery store. I have not tried the taqueria/restaurant, but I can vouch for the grocery. There is a very respectable meat counter (carneceria) with beautiful fresh cuts and also marinated specialties, all at very competitive prices. And there is a well-stocked grocery store with everything you might need to create authentic dishes, from five different types of canned chipotle chile in adobo to a staggering variety of dried chiles in large bags, at a fraction of the price you might pay at a Whole Foods or New Seasons for a bag 1/4 the size. If you care about Mexican cooking and have been looking for an ingredient source, Don Pancho rises to the occasion.
(5)Doug S.
(Please see my reviews of Lorenzo's and Old Town Pizza) So plan C is a burrito and a movie! We head to Don Pancho's and WE HAVE A WINNER. Remember: COLD, yes; DANGEROUS: no! The owner told us he would not shut down if aliens attacked his restaurant (something about his father-in-law kicking his butt). He just laughed at our story. he said he is closed only when business stops AFTER 10:00. he will serve the hungry. this is probably why he has outlasted a bunch of other places. For $12.00 we ate and had enough left over for lunch. So if you need food tomorrow when it is actually snowing, head to this spot. It will be open!
(4)Laura S.
Good, gigantic burritos and authentic tacos in a little hole-in-the-wall taqueria. On the cheaps and about as much ambiance as your local 7-11. Try the gorditas, they are of an entirely different ilk from the things served at taco bell. Don Pancho's gordita is all the stuff you wish you could fit on your taco (meat, crema, cotija, pico de gallo, lettuce, beans etc.), sandwiched between two thick, crumbly, corn tortilla-like things. I get the marinated chicken gordita. It is messy and so good. It will require a fork, unless you like half your lunch in your lap. The produce at the market isn't the freshest or the cheapest, but they have big bags of every dried chile imaginable and you can get their marinated meats from the butcher section at the back to cook up at home (pretty sure it's the same stuff they use in the taqueria) which are just delicious.
(4)Hongyuan J.
Oh I miss the taco there..the one with beef tongue is to die for. Even better than some street tacos I've tried in Mexico city.
(5)Liz W.
The carne asada tacos are legit. Inexpensive as well! I love real Mexican food.
(4)Johana M.
After nearly a year in Portland-post-Callifornia, I've searched for, and found enough sub-par burritos to fuel many long nights of yelping. Let's add another one to the list! I had really high hopes as I entered Don's. The dishes looked really tradiotional and totally reminded me of that one taqueria (you know, your favorite...) you absolutely CRAVE when you want some bomb-ass mexican food. Killer burrito, you know? The guy at the front counter was really nice , I would still give an "A" for customer service. And they have a salsa bar- I like! Anyway, I went for my fav choice, veggie burrito combo with rice and beans. Mis compadres had carnitas enchiladas and a beef torta. They came quickly, and I'll be damned if everything didn't look SO promising! ALAS..... The rice was yellow and crunchy in spots as if it had been sitting out for quite a while. No flavor was tasted. The refried beans were super thick and of a paste-like consistency, also tasteless. I hoped otherwise for the burrito, but ugh....more beans and lots of them. The lettuce,cheese and tomatos were amongst the beans somewhere, I think. Chips, stale- totally defeating the purpose of a perfectly good salsa bar. My BF said the torta was lacking in taste, and wished he had gotten the enchiladas, which were an otherwise good review. Great service, too bad about the food. If there is a next time, I'd try tacos.
(2)Marty X.
Walked in with $3, left with a dream. Two veggie tacos and a fresh mexican doughnut from the market next door. OK, I also bought some hot sauce for $2 after sampling from their extensive selection (all available in the dining area). I'm not quick to say 'Best in Portland', but I'll tell you this is some no-nonsense eating, and the owners and employees of this establishment are super friendly and inviting. This gringo will return!
(5)Dan S.
Hole in the wall that we happened upon on Alberta. Kinda small, kinda grungy, just the kinda place to get decent Mexi. Not great, but then again not too many mexican joints reach 4 or 5 star levels. But it got the job done on the cheap. For $13 bucks I had tamales (too dry) with beans and rice, while my wife had a fat veggie burrito. Too big for her to finish and that was good news for me. It was delish. The total also included soft drinks and a side chips. Ole!
(3)Shannon M.
Great tamales, massive burritos and torta (an old favorite from the Yucatan)!
(4)Joe m.
Nopales tacos and burritos have arrived on their breakfast menu (that is served all day). Nopales are excellent.
(4)Ryan H.
This review was part of my quest for the perfect Southern Californian Carne Asada Burrito: The inside of this joint looked just fine. Like any other taqueria on the streets of San Diego. I went up to the counter and asked the gentleman for my carne asada burrito. He seemed excited! "We have our own source of meat and we've been doing it this way for 20 years! We are always told we are the closest to Southern California." Nice guy, he got my hopes up. The cost of the burrito rang up on the register for $4.10. I sat down with my buddy at one of the tables and waited for the order. About 5min later (at the most) I get a call at the counter that my burrito is ready. I pick up the plate and bring it back to the table with a knife. At first glance it was wrapped in tin foil, and rather small. I was a little worried. I cut the burrito in half to see what awaited inside. What I found was a decent amount of guacamole, not much salsa, and what appeared to be a shredded consistency of carne asada. As anyone from Southern California knows, carne asada burritos have diced meat. Perhaps I should have specified this beforehand, it was something I didn't give much consideration. We were on a time sensitive deadline here, so I tossed half of the burrito to my assistant and we tore the foil off. The tortilla was great. The flavor of the carne asada was pretty quality. The guacamole tasted good too. It just didn't taste So Cal at all. It was small, the consistency was off, and there was almost no salsa. I looked around for salsa options, and on the counter they had every type of liquid hot sauce you can imagine. I didn't see a salsa bar for custom creations. The squeeze bottle salsa they had was dark, somewhat flavorless, but not too bad. * Overall Rating: B- (too small), A- carne asada flavor. Price: $4.10 * Beans / Rice: Yes * Excluded: Yes * Salsa / Guac: Little / Yes (good) * Salsa Bar: No, but plenty of hot sauce choices. * Tortilla: Very good, supposedly grilled but tasted fine. I like steamed more anyway. * Size: Pretty tiny. * Assistant's Rating: "B+. Best Quality" My overall impression was that this would be a great QUALITY burrito (if it had more salsa), but didn't match southern california very well. It was too expensive for the size, and the meat consistency was off. We headed out and down the street to La Sirentia.
(3)rick r.
Two word: Carnitas Sabado. Their food is really good in general, but the carnitas at Don Pancho rocks. Sadly, it's only there on Saturdays. Que sera. The tacos are really good. The tamales are tasty (go with the cheese imho). The pescado is ...um....authentic...and good. The people are friendly. And it's a taqueria with beer. What does it take to get a taqueria with beer? There's that crappy one with the fish tacos that everyone loves in southeast. Cha Cha Cha has beer. But dangit, sometimes a beer is so good with tacos it has to be done. And Don Pancho does it. The burritos are good. Don Pancho isn't "A number 1" and I give it five stars...only to differentiate it from the other 4-star joints on Alberta. It's just a bit better. Especially on precious Saturdays.
(5)Nozenji P.
I've been eating Mexican food since 1977. I've been to Mexico 6 times and have eaten local food every time. I think this place is GREAT.
(5)Jenny H.
Having spent some serious time/lived in San Francisco and San Diego, two places known for their taquerias, I'm always belly aching over the lack of good Mexican food in Portland. El Farolito, wah wah wah, La Posta, boo hoo hoo. I want a burrito made with love. I want the tortilla grilled a little bit. I want avocado chunks and good salsa and chicken that doesn't gross me out. Enter Don Pancho. Maybe it was because I had spent some quality time at The Nest across the street and was in serious need of some complex carbohydrates to counteract the booze party going on in my stomach, but this place was GOOD. I consumed the chicken quesadilla in 2.4 minutes. My friends finished off the best $4.99 nachos I've ever seen (Chopped chicken! Refried beans! So much salt it was almost a problem but we were drinking and it kind of fit all together!) in 47 seconds. Don Pancho was kind of like the mysterious stranger who walked over and kissed me on the cheek right when I needed it most. And he got refried beans all over my face, but I didn't mind at all.
(4)michael p.
There are many burritos on Alberta, Don Pancho's is the best. Their hot sauces on the condiment bar are supreme. The horchata is a little sweeter than most, but good nonetheless. highest recommendations for Don Pancho Taqueria
(5)Sylvia S.
This place is almost the perfect mexican restaurant. Cheap prices, food made right when you order and it is delicious plus the grocery store next door keeps you entertained while you wait for your name to be called. It is not a pretty place but its clean and the service is attentive. The chicken enchiladas are a must try.
(4)Jonny C.
om nom nom nom. good mexican food in a great location. hamburger is a deal.
(4)Kelly M.
Don Pancho combines all your Mexican needs in one with its combination Taqueria and Mercado. So even if much of the Mexican population that used to call Albert home has left for cheaper rents in other parts of town, you can still get your Mexican groceries and pinatas here. They even advertise selling Camisetas Hawaianas for only ten bucks! The adjacent taqueria serves up comida autentica at fair prices. Despite the presence of a little too much lettuce in the burrito, it's not a bad 'rrito on Alberta.
(4)Scott D.
I used to live a few blocks from this place, and their Carne Asada plate is literally the best in the city. You can get Pulque here as well, which is really the icing on the cake for me. The arroz con leche is also awesome, but I think you have to get that at the mercado which is attached to the taqueria. You can also get the Carne Asada at the mercado uncooked and it's the same stuff they sell at the taqueria.
(5)Cindy I.
Okay not impressed. It was greasy and the cheese was bland. Overall seemed very low end. Maybe it's the meat choice the chicken was not very interesting and I'm tired of greasy swimming chicken on my burritos.
(2)sarah k.
holy shit. where have i been all my life. i'll be walking down the street for tacos no more! this is the best.
(5)Christen M.
When it comes to burritos on Alberta, I generally prefer La Bonita -- I prefer whole beans to refried pintos, which Don Pancho uses, and the service is a bit slower here. Most days. But on those days when I do want a refried bean burrito, I hit Don Pancho. A plus is that the burritos are a teeny bit cheaper here, though they, too, have recently raised their prices. Most of my meat-eating companions, however, come to Don Pancho for more sit-down-style Mexican food, though this is most assuredly an order-at-the-counter not-a-lot-of-ambience kinda joint. There are many traditional dishes here with extremely generous portions and low prices. Also worth noting is that there's a small Mexican grocery right next door to Don Pancho, useful for scouting out ingredients for a homemade Mexican feast.
(4)Jon R.
Good mexican food, GREAT beans and rice, and the guys who work there are cool.
(4)Erin O.
This is a decent taqueria, much frequented for the enchilada plate and carne asada. The horchata is a bit grainy unfortunately. But, I love popping into the mercado next door for something good to take home. (like the crazy mexican mayo. it has lime in it. come on, you know you're intrigued...)
(3)tara p.
It's cheap as hell, service is fast, the counter people are super friendly, and there are some standout menu items: the tamales (ordered wet), and the tacos, and if you just want a world of cheese, the quesadillas are good too. Not mindblowing, but definitely high quality and somewhere I find myself frequenting.
(4)Jeremy S.
Pretty darn good overall. The ambience is non-existent, but hey, what do you expect. I got 3 tacos, beef, pork and fish. The beef was just OK - not terribly flavorful, but nor bad. The pork was AMAZING. Delicious chunks hanging out in this lovely barbecue-y tomato-y saucy. Yum!! The fish taco was in between - not as good as the pork, better than the beef. And allk for $1.25 each, next time it's 3 pork tacos (or a pork burrito even)! My wife got the beef burrito plate, and the beef in the burrito had the same problem as the beef in my taco did. She was also puzzled by the lack of rice or beans or, well, anything else but beef in the burrito. I mean, it may as well have been called a "beef roll" or something. Another strange thing was that I ordered a side of sour cream for my tacos, and they presented me with 2 large scoops of sour cream. I was thinking "I asked for sour cream, not ice cream"! I mean, I barely used 1/4 of it. It was the first time I've ever felt compelled to take a condiment home! So, overall, it was a pleasant experience, and I'm psyched to have more of their pork. Would definitely go back and try other things on the menu.
(4)niko k.
This place is the real deal. 5 stars and really it should be 10. When it comes to a Taqueria, Don Pacho's nails it. Coming from Southern California, i've grown up having lots of Mexican food from taco trucks to more expensive restaurants that put an American spin on classics. But my all time favorite is homemade Mexican food that you get at your Aunt or Grandma's house in Mexico. My sister in law in Mexico cooks the best stuff at my brothers house in Mexicali. The homemade corn tortillas, pollo, fresh guacamole, and all the fixings. Taquitos, tacos, rice, beans and the best enchiladas. Very few places throughout Los Angeles and San Francisco ever compared so when I moved to Portland in 2008 I really thought I'd have a tough time finding good quality Mexican food. I tried a few places with not much luck and only finding a few taco trucks that were the only good food in the city. Then I moved to the Alberta district from SW and discovered this place on my way to Bishops. The first thing I tried there was the burrito. Quality flour tortilla, rich ingredients, the best tasting chicken, rice and beans, guacamole and at the perfect size. No sour cream though! Sour cream is not Mexican and has no place in Mexican food. The servers only put the option there for white kids. But it ruins the taste in the end. Guacamole. Do it. But on with the review, I started going here more often and discovered the tacos and enchiladas and that this place was as authentic as you can get in the states. Friendly staff, speedy cooking time and you can sit down and have a Modelo while you wait. The atmosphere is comfortable, Mariachi music playing, rarely crowded, and not too big. When the food arrives you feel like it's your Aunt or in my case sister in law serving you at their house and that you're always welcome, even if you're white like me. The best by far in Portland and by definition the best in Oregon and probably even a shot for the title in the entire northwest with only Memo's in Seattle as an opposing contender. If you're looking for quality, authentic and most important amazing Mexican food, look no further, you've found it. Skip muchas gracias, skip the taco trucks (unless you're leaving the bars downtown), and skip the restaurants in the pearl that call everyone Senor and Amigos by trying to amuse their white customers. Don Pancho: the reigning king of Mexican cuisine in Oregon.
(5)Reed E.
Don Pancho is one of my favorite taco shops. It's pretty authentic mexican food, and the people are always really nice. They don't have ceviche on the menu, but when I ask for it they don't mind at all, and serve me some of the tastiest ceviche I've had. Though it is a little heavy on the lime juice. The tacos are pretty good too, just the right amount of greasiness. The attached market has some awesome homemade salsa (hot!!!), and fresh cotija cheese. Glad this place is within walking distance.
(4)Mikaela S.
i think im in love. your tacos make me swoon. your service is great and you make my baby laugh. and most importantly, you don't make gringo tacos. i seriously can not stand cheese, lettuce and tomato and sour cream and all that crap on tacos. all you nee dis meat, cilantro, lime and salsa people....and you did it don pancho...you did it :::tear rolls down cheek::
(5)Inez G.
about time I had real Mexican food here Portland. I give it a 5 because they serve menudo everyday.
(5)