Panchito's Mexican Restaurant

(212) 473-5239

103 MacDougal St
New York, NY 10012 40.7296 -74.0011

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Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Downtown

Price:

$

Last updated 2.28.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express , Visa , Diners Club , MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Live Music , Food Delivery

Cuisine:

Mexican

What People Are Saying About Panchito's Mexican Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

Outdoor seating in the summer, plus the usual suspects like sangria, frozen margaritas, and burritos have kept the crowds coming.

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “(pitcher is fun for one who doesn't want to keep ordering.”
  2. “this is a great place for everyone to feel comfortable.”
  3. “The location and outdoor seating may be attractive but it is NOT the place to go for good”
  4. “always feel comfortable hangin out with friends havin a couple drinks and eatin some food.”
  5. “So if you like mexican and drinks,down to earth people and a cool atmosphere check this place out.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The food is great especially the mole chicken but a frozn white russian or a kremlin egg cream would make you want to get your passport stamped and then defect.”
drinks
55.56000232696533% positive
  1. “So if you like mexican and drinks,down to earth people and a cool atmosphere check this place out.”
  2. “ordered a deelish cheezy tostada and a nice frigid beer.”
  3. “always feel comfortable hangin out with friends havin a couple drinks and eatin some food.”
  4. “Overall, I was just unimpressed with their food or drinks, including their "Best Margarita”
  5. “The wait staff is slow, full of attitude and forgettful--often taking 20 minutes to bring another round of food and drinks.”
  6. “The food isn't memorable but the service and drinks are great.”
  7. “The margaritas were mediocre, but it did not make up for the muzak they played in the resturant nor the bad food and drink they served.”
  8. “For the food is good I mean I not coming here for dinner ok just to hang out eat a little and drink some frozen drinks with my wife and friends.”
  9. “Fun, happy and a great place to lounge out and drink yummy red sangria.”
  10. “I'll say that again: the bar was unhappy because we ordered the drinks that we were encouraged to order by the restaurant's signage and menu.”
  11. “We ordered margaritas, which are advertised heavily in the menu and on the restaurant's front windows, and when they were brought to us we were told that the bar was "unhappy" with us because of our order.”
  12. “If you are unfazed by high drink prices and poor food, by all means- ENJOY!”
food quality
45.960001945495605% positive
  1. “For the food is good I mean I not coming here for dinner ok just to hang out eat a little and drink some frozen drinks with my wife and friends.”
  2. “The food isn't great, but the tamale is quite nice.”
  3. “Fun, happy and a great place to lounge out and drink yummy red sangria.”
  4. “If you are unfazed by high drink prices and poor food, by all means- ENJOY!”
  5. “The 'fresh haas guacamole we ordered had a consistency that can only be created when it freshly made straight from the packet.”
  6. “The food was very good.”
  7. “You didn't actually realize it was possible to make bad salsa, till now.”
  8. “The prices are high, the service is lousy and the food is mediocre at best.”
  9. “We love the chicken quesdillas and the orders are huge.”
  10. “the food is quite good.”
  11. “Margaritas,daquiris are yummy.”
  12. “Chips were very greasy, salsa was terrible, dinner was not worth the price.”
  13. “The restaurant was very empty (as one would expect when bad food & bad service are combined.”
  14. “Overall, I was just unimpressed with their food or drinks, including their "Best Margarita”
  15. “Bad food and bad waitress”
  16. “good food, but has so much more potential”
  17. “The food is great especially the mole chicken but a frozn white russian or a kremlin egg cream would make you want to get your passport stamped and then defect.”
  18. “The food as a whole is below average, the fajitas are nearly tasteless and the salads are of less quality than the one you may get at your corner deli.”
  19. “The salsa was also loaded with sugar and lacked spice, and the chips were stale and bland.”
  20. “The wait staff is slow, full of attitude and forgettful--often taking 20 minutes to bring another round of food and drinks.”
  21. “The chips were horrible and the salsa was the worst I have ever had.”
  22. “This casual Mexican spot with tasteless food is not one I would head back to.”
  23. “Subpar food, Friendly service”
  24. “cold food”
  25. “The food isn't memorable but the service and drinks are great.”
  26. “had ordered a Sizzling Steak Fajita while my boyfriend ordered a Big Burrito, both dishes were at best mediocre.”
  27. “always feel comfortable hangin out with friends havin a couple drinks and eatin some food.”
  28. “My steak especially had No flavor whatsoever, it basically tasted like dry up beef.”
  29. “There was no explanation for why our appetizers were late, or why the food was cold, or why we didn't get silverware until our food arrived, and in fact our waiter disappeared thereafter.”
  30. “We enjoy there food very much and the staff is wonderful.”
  31. “The service was friendly and fast, but the food was god awful.”
  32. “The margaritas were mediocre, but it did not make up for the muzak they played in the resturant nor the bad food and drink they served.”
  33. “good food , but the me generation hipster waitstaff are only concerned with their tips and not providing efficient courteous service.”
menu variety
25.0% positive
  1. “I'll say that again: the bar was unhappy because we ordered the drinks that we were encouraged to order by the restaurant's signage and menu.”
  2. “We ordered margaritas, which are advertised heavily in the menu and on the restaurant's front windows, and when they were brought to us we were told that the bar was "unhappy" with us because of our order.”
  3. “dirty menu's (really.”
  4. “They have plenty of interesting choices, my favourite being the Kremlin Egg Cream.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “would have missed out on a great place.”
  2. “this is a great place for everyone to feel comfortable.”
  3. “Fun, happy and a great place to lounge out and drink yummy red sangria.”
service
46.529998779296875% positive
  1. “She was very busy, but still found time to give us great service.”
  2. “So if you like mexican and drinks,down to earth people and a cool atmosphere check this place out.”
  3. “The server was good, but we were seated by the restroom.”
  4. “But when I go w/ 15 or more, we get excellent service.”
  5. “Subpar food, Friendly service”
  6. “There are plenty of wonderful places in the city without terrible service.”
  7. “Bad food and bad waitress”
  8. “The prices are high, the service is lousy and the food is mediocre at best.”
  9. “The service was friendly and fast, but the food was god awful.”
  10. “good food , but the me generation hipster waitstaff are only concerned with their tips and not providing efficient courteous service.”
  11. “have read comments about bad service, but we had great service.”
  12. “had a terrible dinner here 2 years ago, which made the four of us leaving just a dollar tip for the waitress.”
  13. “An appetizer request was rejected because, as our waiter told us, "the kitchen doesn't like doing that.”
  14. “There was no explanation for why our appetizers were late, or why the food was cold, or why we didn't get silverware until our food arrived, and in fact our waiter disappeared thereafter.”
  15. “Their service disgusted me!”
  16. “The served was rude and seemed as if he didn't want to be there.”
  17. “The restaurant was very empty (as one would expect when bad food & bad service are combined.”
  18. “There always seems to be decent people in there, no annoying characters.”
  19. “We enjoy there food very much and the staff is wonderful.”
  20. “Our server was slow in greeting us, and not very helpful when she arrived.”
  21. “Our waitress though, Winnie, was really nice and cute, also very responsive when I sent back my gasoline flavoured margherita.”
  22. “The food isn't memorable but the service and drinks are great.”
  23. “The only reason that the experience was tolerable was our friendly waitress, she was at our table within a matter of minutes and checked back often.”
  24. “The wait staff is slow, full of attitude and forgettful--often taking 20 minutes to bring another round of food and drinks.”
value
28.570001125335693% positive
  1. “The prices are high, the service is lousy and the food is mediocre at best.”
  2. “Chips were very greasy, salsa was terrible, dinner was not worth the price.”
  3. “We love the chicken quesdillas and the orders are huge.”
  4. “had a terrible dinner here 2 years ago, which made the four of us leaving just a dollar tip for the waitress.”
  5. “If you are unfazed by high drink prices and poor food, by all means- ENJOY!”
  6. “The sign out front says 1 of the 6 best margaritas in NYC, it should say 1 of the 6 smallest/most expensive margaritas in NYC.”
  7. “The margaritas were good, but buying a pitcher was just as expensive as buying seperately.”
wait time
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “The wait staff is slow, full of attitude and forgettful--often taking 20 minutes to bring another round of food and drinks.”
  2. “Our server was slow in greeting us, and not very helpful when she arrived.”
  3. “The only reason that the experience was tolerable was our friendly waitress, she was at our table within a matter of minutes and checked back often.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

06/07/11

No Service. Terrible manager, then treated as villains.

by Panchitos Stinks at Citysearch

Went here with 5 women and 2 men on a Tuesday night, before 10:30pm.

40 minutes, no service ... The manager at one point had dropped off menu's but nobody came to take our order for 40 minutes. We were not allowed to even get drinks at the bar, and we asked twice. But still, no wait staff ever came.

Fed up, we decided to leave. We weren't mad or anything, just tired. However, the manager came around (AFTER 40 minutes of no service!) and said that WE WERE RUDE for coming into a restaurant and not ordering!!!!

After a lengthy discussion where we explained that we had been waiting for 40 minutes with no waitstaff, she eventually blamed everyone but herself-

she blamed US for self seating,

she blamed another group we followed in for not telling them we were together,

and she blamed the 'new waitress'!!!!!

Terrible managerial skills and very insincere apology.

All we wanted was some drinks and dessert. Keep in mind, we had a 73 year old woman with us, and we were still neglected and treated like we did something wrong! !!!!! Maybe they have good margaritas. Good luck getting one.

Please see picture of MY FAVORITE MANAGER at Panchitos!!

1 Star Rating: Poor

08/08/09

Worst Mexican foot ever!

by DLBM at Citysearch

We order what they call in the menu "Big Burrito", it turned out to be lasagna in a tortilla. No Mexican flavor or spices at all, totally Italian flavor with spaghetti sauce on top. They should be ashamed for the food they serve. In fact, we recommend them to change the name to Italian Cantina. Unacceptable!

  • Pros: Very nice waiter
  • Cons: Everything else
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/08/09

The Worst Mexican Food on the Planet

by theurbansherpa at Citysearch

Panchito's, the Mexican restaurant at 105 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village in New York City, doesn't seem like the sort of place that would inspire superlatives: the entire block is given over to sloppy, unassuming restaurants of all ethnicities—Indian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern—aimed presumably at the students of nearby NYU.

But it turns out that Panchito's is exemplary in more ways than one.

Panchito's is, first of all, the largest restaurant in all of Greenwich Village, on a scale so large that its cavernous dining rooms could fit a dozen or more Village-sized trattorias and bistros.

The menu immediately greets you with a second superlative: Panchito's, it turns out, is home of the "best margarita in New York." Fine print later goes on to clarify, the margarita is actually considered one of the top six best margaritas, though by whom is anyone's guess. (The menu itself is a contender for another superlative—Worst Graphic Design—though that's a contest that will be waged bitterly through all of Chinatown before the label can be definitively applied.)

You order one of these margaritas. It sets you back $10, and when it arrives at your table, it's lukewarm. A lukewarm margarita defies a law or two of physics.

A small bowl of stale unsalted corn chips eventually finds its way to the table. You shouldn't judge a book by its cover and you shouldn't judge a Mexican place by its chips. Still, there's no denying: these chips are bad. The comparison with cardboard is obvious but unavoidable. The chips are accompanied by a small plastic ramekin of vinegar and sugar that they call salsa.

You didn't actually realize it was possible to make bad salsa, till now.

The entree arrives. It is served without silverware, till someone notices and brings a miniature knife and fork, like for children or dolls. The plate of food is the saddest looking plate of Mexican food you've ever seen. The menu, which bragged about "three different kinds of beans!," didn't warn you that the beans would be overcooked into a crunchy powder, nor that they'd be lacquered in an inch of (is that Velveeta?) cheese. Two tacos remind you of the cafeteria at summer camp. One of them literally has a few slices of unseasoned, sauteed flavorless white mushrooms and a chunk of unmelted cheese. The rice (the best thing on the menu, by far, if you can find it under the cheese) has a single green pea in it—for flavor? for nourishment? an accident?

"Is everything alright?," the waitress asks, pointing at the mostly ignored pile of food. "You want more chips?"

"Yes!" But—somewhere else...

  • Pros: Spacious dining room
  • Cons: Bad food, bad drinks, bad service, overpriced
3 Star Rating: Average

04/22/09

Just try your luck

by yin1104hr at Citysearch

I had a terrible dinner here 2 years ago, which made the four of us leaving just a dollar tip for the waitress. This time we went back just to see if things have been improved. And I was not disappointed. Service was good. Food was not as horrible as last time. The margarita and the burrito that I had were okay. It is not as disgusting as other people say, but don't expect too much.

1 Star Rating: Poor

04/21/09

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!

by bklynqns at Citysearch

The sign out front says 1 of the 6 best margaritas in NYC, it should say 1 of the 6 smallest/most expensive margaritas in NYC. The drink was fair at best but by far the tiniest I have EVER had and was served with a straw and a spoon? What kind of place does that? They charge extra on top of the already absurd price if you want a flavor other than the basic lime. I asked for salt on the glass, no salt was on the glass. The served was rude and seemed as if he didn't want to be there. I inquired about ordering 1 taco and was told "sure that's no problem but I will have to charge you the price of the platter". I couldn't believe it.The chips were horrible and the salsa was the worst I have ever had. Needless to say I finished my tiny drink which didn't take long and paid the served who finally returned with my change (or should I say lack of since he took it upon himself to short me my coin portion of the change). I promptly deducted the amount he kept from the already small tip I left him. AVOID THIS PLACE!!!!!!!! The location and outdoor seating may be attractive but it is NOT the place to go for good food/drinks/service. PLEASE believe all the other negative comments as I am sure they are totallky acurate. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

  • Pros: LOCATION
  • Cons: TINY MARGARITAS, RUDE SERVICE, TERRIBLE SALSA

The Details on Panchito's Mexican Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • bad mexican food
  • best margaritas
  • great service
  • bad friendly service
  • good food
  • great place
  • stale unsalted corn chips
  • bad waitress
  • good server
  • worst salsa
  • full wait staff
  • really nice winnie
  • love paella
  • like drinks
  • unhappy bar
  • failed restaurant
  • huge orders
  • good generation hipster waitstaff
  • love burritos
  • yummy daquiris
  • rude served
  • love guacamole
  • no annoying characters
  • dry beef
  • wonderful staff