Pancho's Takos is a taqueria in
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexico, Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara ...
's
Zona Romántica
Zona Romántica is the unofficial designation for an LGBTQ-friendly tourist area in southern Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The zone is made of three colonias Emiliano Zapata, Alta Vista, and Amapas. The area is also commonly ...
, in the Mexican state of
Jalisco
Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
.
Description
The taqueria serves
tacos
A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of filli ...
,
fajitas
A fajita (; ), in Tex-Mex cuisine, is strips of any grilled meat, optionally served with strips of peppers and onions usually served on a flour or corn tortilla. The term originally referred to skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dis ...
, and
quesadillas
A quesadilla (; ; Mexican diminutive of ''quesada'') is a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla that is filled primarily with cheese, and sometimes meats, spices, and other fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove. Traditionally, a cor ...
. Tacos
al pastor
(from Spanish, "herdsman style"), ''tacos al pastor'', or ''tacos de trompo'' is a preparation of spit-grilled slices of meat, usually pork originating in the Central Mexican region of Puebla and Mexico City, where they remain most prominent; ...
is a specialty; the menu also includes stuffed avocados (chicken, beef, or mushrooms), au gratin potatoes (with steak,
chorizo
''Chorizo'' ( , ; ; see #Names, below) is a type of pork sausage originating from the Iberian Peninsula. It is made in many national and regional varieties in several countries on different continents. Some of these varieties are quite differe ...
, or al pastor), and cheese
alambres. The drink menu includes domestic beers, cocktails, fruitades, and wine.
History
The restaurant opened in 1989.
[ The establishment only accepts cash, as of 2018.][
]
Reception
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books.
History
20th century
Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen Wheeler, Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 19 ...
says, "Drawing a regular nighttime crowd, this humble taquería near the beach is a solid contender for the best tacos al pastor (spit-cooked pork with diced onions, cilantro and pineapple) in the 'hood and attracts hungry night owls after many neighborhood restaurants have closed." The 2014 book ''101 Places to Get F*cked Up Before You Die: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Partying Around the World'' noted the frequent queue for service and says, "By many accounts, the very best pastor in town is at Takos Pancho's." In ''Banderas News'' 2015 overview of the city's best tacos, Shannon Beston wrote, "Pancho's Takos was above and beyond the top choice, even though many people refer to it as being too touristy. However, overlooking the fact that it seems to get a lot of PR on sites such as Trip Advisor, it's also a spot-on favorite with Mexicans."
''Vallarta Lifestyles'' said in 2018: "They say that the best sign of whether a taco stand is good is the number of people who frequent it, and Pancho’s Takos confirms this premise. Since 1989, they have been offering tacos al pastor so delicious that they attract both residents and visitors."[ In 2019, ]Thrillist
''Thrillist'' is an online media website covering travel. ''Thrillist'' was founded in 2004 by Ben Lerer and Adam Rich. In October 2016, Thrillist merged with internet brands ''The Dodo'', NowThis News, and Seeker to form the digital media ...
's Meagan Drillinger said, "If you'd rather a sit-down meal, you can line up with the rest of the world at Pancho's Takos. Yes, the quesadillas al pastor are absolutely worth the wait… but you will be waiting a long, long time, especially late-night when the bars start to close." In 2021, Nathan Aguilera of Fodor's
Fodor's is a producer of English-language travel guides and online tourism information. It was founded by Hungarian Eugene Fodor, who created his first travel guide, ''1936...on the Continent'', with the intention of improving upon the directo ...
included Pancho's Takos in a list of "21 Ultimate Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta". He wrote, "Puerto Vallarta has one of the most famous stands in all of Mexico: Pancho's Takos ... Come early or be prepared to get in line, and when it's your turn to order, ask for tacos al pastor, arguably the most famous tacos in Mexico."
See also
* List of Mexican restaurants
This is a list of notable Mexican restaurants. Mexican cuisine is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish cuisine, Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th ce ...
* List of restaurants in Mexico
This is a list of notable restaurants in Mexico. A restaurant is a business which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money, either paid before the meal, after the meal, or with an open account.
Restaurants in Mexico
i ...
References
External links
*
{{Zona Romántica
1989 establishments in Mexico
Mexican restaurants in Mexico
Restaurants established in 1989
Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta
Zona Romántica