Los Panchos de Charley

Cute little place, I felt like I was in Mexico. All the drinks we got were really good and I couldn’t taste the liquor even though I saw the bartender pour a lot in there. We had a jarrito, mango margarita, and a bloody Maria. They were all really good, for a decent price. I didn’t try the food but my friend got their tacos and said they were good also. I would definitely go back.

Came here last night, for late nigh post-​club munchies. We were greeted immediately by the hostess and seated promptly. We decide to make it simple on the waitress and did’t even look at the menu so we order 4 plates of carne asada fries. While we waited on our food we were given chips and salsa which were very tasty. So many pros and why the 2 star review? Well lets see I had the worst $ 14 carne asada fries ever. Bland Guacamole, sour cream, barely any cheese and tasteless beans and meat. Really $ 14 for nasty food. Anyways I wouldn’t come back because the food was gross and overpriced.
And well the place gets 2 stars for friendly staff and for décor and for good chips and salsa but seriosuly this place need to hire new chefs … or fix the recipes or buy better ingredients… ewwwwww

My family and I stopped in for Cinco De Mayo. Unfortunately, they staffed one bartender even though they expected a party based on all the Cinco De Mayo decorations. We ordered a round of Cadillac margaritas and it had to be the worst I have ever had. Not only did they take 20 minutes to get, they were watery and it was questionable if they used Grand Marnier. Usually, it comes in a shooter on the side but they said it was mixed in. After we got our drinks, the super nice waiter took our order. I couldn’t blame him for the staffing issues. He was really trying. I asked him to make sure it would be done within 30 minutes because we had tickets down the street. Typically I wouldn’t ask that, but I knew the drinks took a while so I thought it was worth mentioning. He was amazing and turned around our food in 7 minutes. The food was just «ok». Not bad, not great. When I am eating Mexican food, I need a great Cadillac margarita to pair with it. For that reason, I won’t be back.

My husband and I have been here 4 times in the last few months, coming from East County (Lakeside area). The breakfast is the best part, but we also just went there to sit outside, people watch, and have some drinks. They have great margaritas and a full bar. The staff is friendly and the food is good. Definitely recommend for breakfast if you’re staying in a hotel in the area.

Very good, not great. Ordered «Carnitas”-supposed to be marinated pork; was actually mostly sliced pork tenderloin. Wasn’t bad, but was not carnitas. Service is great, bar is good.
3−½ stars if that was an option.

We have been here twice. one time for breakfast and again for lunch. This is a decent Mexican place considering it is in the heart of downtown and all of its touristy glory. The prices are a little higher therefor but it is understandable considering the location. The breakfast was pretty good. The service is friendly and quick at least early in the day. Complimentary chips and salsa is served. The salsa is a little watered down but still ok. I had the tacos doritos for lunch and they were good… nothing to rave about but good. I would totally come here again for breakfast. a nice option when Downtown and good for kids too for lunch.

First I’ll say the bartender was very nice… So I may drink here but I’ll never eat here.
I ordered my food to go. When I heated it up the whole thing fell apart.
But I will NEVER eat here again! I ordered shrimp and crab enchiladas. That’s great if you consider imitation crab to be crab… It’s not even made of crab it’s fish. Can you say false advertisement! So basically I had canned beans cooked carrots and imitation crab and a total of 5 shrimp for $ 17. I want my money back!
I’m so not eating this! If I can give you friends any advice… EAT SOMEPLACE ELSE!
What a total rip off I’m surprised this place is still in business serving such terrible food.

I’ve been coming to this place for several years now, mostly for breakfast. It’s pretty authentic in its food and drink Unlike many of the very nice upscale Latin food locations throughout the Gas Lamp Quarter, Los Panchos reminds me more of the nicer spots you’ll find south of the border. The atmosphere is authentic Mexican, not too fancy, still very warm and friendly.
They have a friendly staff too. I’ve noticed the same staff there for several years now. The prices here are reasonable and reflective of the restaurant itself. For all these reasons a four star rating is well in order here!

I NEVER Unilocal but today I MUST!
$ 9.72 plus $ 2.00 tip for a Carne Asada Burrito (to go I might add) & they only give me 1 hot sauce!
I will NEVER go there again and that’s coming from a CONSISTENT Mexican food eater.
Peace out Los Panchos, one time is enough

AWFUL!!!
The customer service was atrocious as was the food. This was the worst restaurant that I’ve ever been to. The server was slow and didn’t seem to understand English too well. I asked for chocolate milk for my son in both English and in Spanish and he still didn’t understand. The food we ordered came out cold. When we sent it back, it wasn’t new food, it was our half eaten food that was microwaved. When we requested that it be remade, they brought out new enchiladas that were cold again!
I asked to talk to a manager and the server came back and asked if I could come back on Tuesday to talk to him as he wasn’t there on a weekend. I told the server that I would not pay for the cold food and he still wouldn’t take it off the bill. It was absolutely ridiculous! I’ve never had an experience like that in my life. This restaurant should be ashamed to be in business! Please don’t give them your business!

Decided to wonder here for breakfast after a night of partying at Gaslamp district. Our hotel was a quick walk away. Wanted a quick but healthy breakfast, we had:
— steak and eggs: deliciously cooked steak not too salty, right amount of chewiness. Came with delicious beans and rice.
— breakfast burritos: so good that we had to finish them all, good combination and flavor.
Super fast service, so fast that we couldn’t change our order the moment it went into the system (literally minutes after our server left us).

This place doesn’t get enough credit. For a Mexican joint in the middle of the Gaslamp, this is as Mexican as you will get!
–The food is some of the most authentic Mexican food in the area.
–You get what you pay for — meaning, the portion sizes are reasonable in comparison to the prices charged (especially for a downtown restaurant)
–The margaritas are on point — plenty of Tequila and great taste!
–Plus the chips and salsa are on the house!
If you’d like a deal, sit at the bar during their happy hour so you can get a taste and perhaps actually comeback for a full-​priced dinner — trust me, if you’re craving a more authentic Mexican food, you Will be back!

Tasty, quality, authentic food in a cute/​Kool Mexican restaurant setting!
+all foods were homemade!
+all foods tasted amazing
+portions were generous :)
+in a great location at the heart of the gas lamp district
+customer service was awesome!
+restaurant is wonderfully decorated with beautiful colors and fun Mexican music in the background, felt like I was in Mexico

Overall: 2.5 stars. Round up to 3 for accommodating us.
Seeking a break with a few co-​workers, we roamed the few blocks near our office for a place to grab some decent munchies and cheap drinks over a venue still acknowledging happy hour. A couple of the girls shared that the margaritas here were tasty. so we opted for the return. It’s in a hot spot location downtown near Horton Plaza… similar to the other businesses you have your hostess outside welcoming folks in. The restaurant and bar were pretty empty — but not completely empty — so in we went.
Here’s a very key note: if you want happy hour, you MUST — absolutely MUST — sit at the bar. Not near the bar, not around the bar, but AT THE BAR. Otherwise, you are there to dine as a normal patron.
(Unless you’re in a profession where smooth talking is a skill you learned… :D)
They were kind enough to acknowledge that this information was not passed to us even though we were seated in the same exact spot as the prior happy hour. The waiter, a very handsome young man with a cute smile, was new– but helped facilitate the communication to the owner. Ultimately they honored the happy hour prices for our group. Thank goodness for that.
Plus: Chips and salsa at the start. This is a must for me at any mexican joint. I mean. who doesn’t like chips and salsa! The salsa was on the watery side but palatable.
I opted for the mini taquito plate ($ 4) from the happy hour menu. They were simple rolled chicken tacos with lots of guac, sour cream, sauce, cheese. Overall pretty tasty. The taquito itself was so so. kind of dry and flavorless. Still not too bad. just wouldn’t go out of my way for the dish again.
I didn’t drink but the fruit margaritas (blended) looked tasty. The mango one especially was very pretty. Another co worker got the straight classic margarita and he felt that it was a little watered down.
Overall, I was pleased by their cooperation to accommodate our group with regards to the happy hour prices. On a Friday, especially when you are seeking the business, it is worth noting in a review. I acknowledge the customer service provided. That said, the food was palatable at best. There are definitely better options near by in terms of pleasure to mouth.
Assigning a very generous round up to 3. If it wasn’t for the pleasant customer service, it would have definitely been a 2. Probably would not return or recommend aside.

I went to Los Panchos around 11am after flying into San Diego for a conference. I was very hungry and noticed Los Panchos was near my hotel. A colleague and I sat outside which was not bad. Our server, who was extremely nice and professional, quickly took our orders right away. Our food came about 10 minutes later and came exactly how we ordered it. I ordered grilled fish tacos. As for the food quality, it was ok, not that bad. I must say that i have had much better mexican food before but this will do the job if you are very hungry. The portion size was very reasonable and the prices were good.
I would rate Los Panchos as follows: Service is 4 stars, the Food was 3 stars, the Price was 3 star and the atmosphere was 2 stars.
The views expressed are of my own and are my true personal experience at this establishment. My personal experience may not reflect this actual establishment, their quality or someone else’s experience at the establishment.

Stopped in here because it looked like a nice little place to eat dinner and get our margaritas on. We did, we liked, would go again…
I had the shredded beef tacos, which is typically what I would order when going to a Mexican restaurant for the first time… that’s my «tester» meal. They were really very good, beans and rice were as well. My friends each had a chlie relleno and/​or tacos and we all were very pleased with our meals. I would give more details to the food, but it really was not too out of the ordinary, meaning a) it wasn’t bad at all but b) it wasn’t over the top. I’d say it was more on the good side though because all 3 of us are pretty picky when it comes to our Mexican food. One friend said her relleno was too crunchy and the other said that she loves her rellenos when the chile has that «snap» to it… so you be the judge on whether that’s your style or not. My relleno stays in the kitchen because I don’t like them.
I will say that they make a really mean margarita! Margaritas were made with only 100% agave tequila (not the crap that most restaurants use and then flavor it up to hide the ick). She put lots of lime and agave and they went down smooth and wonderful. I would have sworn that there was no alcohol in them… until I got up to go to the ladies room. Uh. Yes, there was tequila in them! haha!!!
Service was a bit slow and unmotivated, but pleasant. The night we sat and ate and drank… and talked… and drank a few more… there was a live guitarist/​singer. He was wonderful and set the ambiance just right.
I wouldn’t seek it out to eat there again, but if I was passing by during mealtime I would definitely stop in and have a drink… with some tacos on the side!
CHEERS!!!

Found this little Mexican spot while walking around the Gas Lamp District. We ordered two margaritas, Mango and Catalina Azul. The Mango margarita was delicious, with chili powder along the rim. Great selection of food. Finally decided on quesadilla with asada and a Bitchin’ California burrito. Both were delicious, and filling.
The only downside was no A/​C. It was 86 outside and not much cooler inside. Wouldn’t recommend coming here on a hot day.

Très bonne adresse pour les grosses faim
Ambiance décontractée avec un Pablo super sympa
Les prix sont bon marché par rapport à la quantité des assiettes
Il faut y aller quand-​on veut un bon mexicain mais c’est un peu la région non !

Kind of divey place with decent Mexican food. Great Happy Hour prices. We were in a hurry and we were in and out in half an hour with drinks and happy hour fish tacos, which were great. Not perfect. But a good place to stop in a crowded area.

Finally. Yes, finally. I’ve been to four different places in search of a decent carne asada taco here in San Diego. We are leaving tomorrow morning and tonight I finally found a Mexican food restaurant here in San Diego that is worth going to.
First, the salsa that came with the chips was nice. Fresh cilantro along with the onions, tomatoes and seasonings made for a very good dipping salsa for the chips.
Then, finally, a well seasoned and cooked carne asada taco topped with the perfect amount of cilantro and onion with a little bit of guacamole sauce and the lime wedges available if you want to squeeze a little for the meat.
Great job on the food. Finally an authentic Mexican carne asada taco in San Diego. Thank you.
However, not everything was all roses. The service was rather slow as there were only two people taking care of all the tables inside and out. Fix the service issue and you have five stars.

Another great lunch here. Servers are friendly and very attentive without being overbearing. The chile rellenos are excellent! Hot, house made tortillas.
Best during the day. At night, not as good.
Who serves a salt rim mojito?
Very good Mexican food. Very good service. Exceptionally reasonable prices. One of the best bargains in the Gaslamp district. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Dinner, not as good.
I highly recommend it for Mexican food!