Pancho’s Salsa Bar & Grill

My torta sandwich was orale all the way. Packed with meat. My fellow paisano hooked it up!

I live in the neighborhood & eat here regularly. My favorite menu items are Al Pastor tacos, carnitas tacos, cheese quesadillas & carne asada nachos. I usually do take-​out, but it’s a comfortable little establishment to eat-​in, as well.

I use to go here all the time. Sadly on a recent visit not only did I find a hair in my nachos but I also found a random stick (picture added). The cashier was super friendly & in the past I always felt the food was pretty good. Not Pancho Villas good but good enough for the Richmond. However, after the findings of this last experience, I won’t be back. So sad.

I ordered a steak burrito. It was very dry and full of lettuce. The steak taste like hamburger meat. The burrito was so nasty I couldn’t eat it. What a waste of money and time. The person who helped me nice. The restaurant was very clean.

I WISH I WASN’T ABLE TO GIVE THIS PLACE ONE STAR:
My first time here was last week… I walked into this place with high hopes
They had all the right touches: real Latinos making the food, décor, music, pictures, etc.
HOWEVER, they had some guy there taking pictures of them «working.»
The one cook there was too interested in getting his pictures taken that we were waiting FOREVER for our food.
FINALLY, when he went to start cooking my food, he made two shrimp tacos and I don’t think anything of it thinking it may have been for another customer… I ordered a shrimp burrito with pinto beans, salsa, rice and cheese. He precedes to hand me the box and I told him I didn’t order that and then he goes, «what did you order?» I look at him dumbfounded! Like are you joking right now? I guess the lady who rang him up apparently didn’t give him my order slip! So I have to repeat my order to him.
This is the best part:
He takes the two shrimp tacos he stupidly made, dumps them both into a flour tortilla and has me REPEAT my order… I emphasize on the word repeat because he STILL gets my order wrong! Instead of pinto beans, he puts black beans! So I tell him AGAIN, I didn’t order black beans, I ordered pinto beans; instead of making me a new burrito because at this point the one he’s making is a complete CLUSTER, he grabs a spoon and pushes the beans off the tortilla and adds the pinto beans. I’m in complete shock! I’ve NEVER seen anything like this ANYWHERE and NEVER ONCE did this guy apologize to me. I would have said something but at this point, I’m way too tired from my day to complain right there. So after he puts my burrito in my bag and throws it on the counter, I leave pissed!
I get home and start eating the thing which isn’t too bad but of course I’ve had WAY better… I’m a few bites in and notice that I’m not chewing on just shrimp, I spit what I have in my mouth out and see that it’s steak! WTF!!! This idiot put steak in my f*cking burrito!!! Yes, I eat seafood but I DO NOT eat MEAT and here I am with steak in my burrito!!! I could not f*cking believe this sh*t…I really couldn’t.
If I wanted a disaster burrito, I would have made it myself!
By far one the worst takeout and customer service I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED!

Went today wanting the fajita burrito with shrimp, but ended up with not even one their regular burritos. It was an over grilled chicken burrito with too much rice, a few pieces of lettace and avocado, and maybe some cheese, but I really could not tell. I would have brought it back but I live about 2 miles away, and didn’t realize until I got home and bit into it. I got some lame burrito that I paid WAY more for. I go here all the time and was really disappointed. I think maybe the new cooks, need a new job.

The location on Polk is noticeably better. This location doesn’t look very clean inside, and though the menu appears to be very similar (if not identical), the same item prepared at this location was not nearly as good as at the Polk location.

Consistently good food and friendly service. Their burritos and tacos are pretty much what you’d expect but the soup and torta are both standouts.

Local burrito place with the BEST sopa de pollo soup! My husband and I eat it all the time. Tastes like homecooking with love.

Went here earlier today and was extremely disappointed. Let’s start from the beginning. I don’t know what the cashier’s issue was, but right from the start she had an attitude for no apparent reason. She seemed to be bothered by any questions asked. It wasn’t enough to dissuade us from ordering but it was noticeable and added to the whole sub par experience.
Next up and most importantly, the food. I’m not sure how you can mess up something as simple as a burrito but Panchos has managed to do just that. 3 burritos were ordered and all had the same issues. All 3 were practically bean and rice burritos. The portions are large but for the price I’d expect more then about a table spoon worth of meat. We kept on eating the burrito hoping maybe a pocket of meat was hiding somewhere but no luck. Just a whole lot of beans, rice, salsa, oh and lettuce. Not sure what the deal was with the lettuce. It wasn’t terrible but no where on the menu did it mention there would be lettuce in it. With that said, the beans and rice were extremely bland. No type of flavor at all. I’ve had canned beans that had more flavor then these. So it’s a burrito filled with a whole lot of tasteless beans and rice and extremely little meat.
All in all the place was clean and the food was edible so I guess that warrants 2 stars but I would never come back nor recommend it to anyone I know. We ended up throwing out at least half because it just wasn’t worth eating. I’m assuming there’s not many taquerias in the area because there’s no way a place with food as bland and overpriced as Panchos should still be in business.

Fast service and great horchata! Beats most other SF lunch spots that are over crowded and balls to the wall hipster vegos.

Counter full of ingredients that have clearly been sitting out, I don’t know, all day. Just thrown together on a tortilla, that has been sitting out, I don’t know, all day.
Go somewhere else. Like, I don’t know, anywhere else.

I’m a fan.
So many mexican/​burritos stops in the Bay. This is one to try. If you can’t make it out to the Mission, where there’s an abundance on each corner.
For my buddy, this is ol’ stomping grounds. He’s been doing this place for years, but alas, now no longer here, but visited today. When he picked this place, I said sure why not (it’s his birthday after all). Plus, he was nursing a hangover, who am I to judge?
At these burrito spots, my beef is the carne asada burrito. I judge most joints by this meaty standard. I’ll have to say, this one has some high quality carne asada. Smoky, savory, flavorful. And there’s a good ratio of meat to other ingredients. And as long as meat is greater than others, I’m all good. I will note, however, that the distribution of everything is less than ideal. One side had all the salsa, and for me, those were the final bites. Wish it more spread throughout. Also, I didn’t notice any sour cream or guacamole… I bet that was my mistake. Great salsa bar tambien.
I’ll come back again, if I’m in the neighborhood. Or if my hungover friend, from out of town, needs another old school cure.

Pretty disappointing burrito for $ 10. I got a standard steak burrito and asked for guacamole. It was an additional $ 3(total rip off you could like get two awesome gordos burritos for around $ 13). Anyways, upon digging into he burrito there was maybe two slices of avocado. No gauc. If she had told me that they didn’t have guacamole, I wouldn’t have bothered to pay $ 3 more bucks. The steak was weird and the rice tastes horrible. Like instant mexican rice you buy from rice a roni. Anyways total let down as I had remembered from my childhood growing up in the richmond. Save your money and go the exta 20 blocks down Geary to Gordos. Won’t be back again.

I don’t frequent Mexican restaurants by any means, but I know I enjoy Mexican food in Mexico. When I eat Mexican food in the states, I always judge based on the quesadilla, salsa, pico de gallo and chips. All were very good to me. They definitely did not skimp on the steak. Their pico de gallo was sour enough for me so I didn’t have to add lemon like other places (although tomatoes weren’t as fresh). The chips were also crunchy and delicious. I would return again for sure.

I called up to order for pick up and the bro on the other end kept correcting my non flavorful pronunciation of the words «carnitas» and «tostadas». I get that this is a humurous kind of curb yr enthusiasm moment, but now I have no mediocre mexican food and want to call back and order like 75 karniduhz for «pick up.» I know thats a mean way to think. I need to go pray the hate away.
In conclusion, i used to rep their karniduhz hard, but now I feel like a victim of pronunciation discrimination. Also its a lot of energy to promounce Spanish words like a Univision announcer. Panchos has to understand that the singularity is upon us, and soon all of this will be nothing more than an ancient meme.

Pretty good Mexican food — especially for this part of town. Although Pancho’s is not as authentic as your average Mission District taqueria, when you need a burrito fix, it does the trick.
I usually order the bean and cheese with everything option — as opposed to the veggie burrito which is full of sautéed bell peppers, broccoli and the like. It’s a nice portable meal.
And nothing warms up a dreary, fog enclosed night quite so much as the chicken soup with handmade tortillas. It’s so comforting and fresh… mmm mmm good.
Nice salsa bar and, clean dining room and quick efficient service add to Pancho’s appeal.

No. This is definitely NOT a place to go to for Mexican food. It looks somewhat authentic but don’t let that trick you.
I ordered a burrito with no beans, rice, carne asada, salsa, cheese, and avocados. Guess what I got in my lovely to-​go burrito and already home comfy in my PJs. I got a soggy burrito with NO rice or avocados, straight up slimy beans with salsa and cheese. The taste of the burrito was disgusting. I will never eat here again and I hope others do so too. There’s so many better Mexican spots than Panchos.

Personally I am not a fan of burritos so my review is biased towards these kind of spots. My friend who enjoys them is partial to this spot and goes to this spot on a weekly basis. The reason being that this place is a healthier option when compared to other similar places. My justification for eating this spot (take out) that it was right on the way when commuting to the place I was staying and right across from BevMo so while my order was being prepped I could just go across and grab a beer or two to go with the meal.
They do offer a choice in the type of bread one wants and can modify toppings to your liking. One can load up on the fresh made salsas and free bag of chips.
This place can get quite busy during peak hours so do keep that in mind.
2.5 stars all said and done.

Not sure what I was thinking choosing a taqueria in the Inner Richmond when I know better, but I’ve passed this place so many times that I just had to try. Stale chips, salsa with no level of measurable heat, and a sad plate of nachos later (with barely any slab of refried beans), I regretted my decision whole-​heartedly. The only thing I can say about this place that is slightly positive is that the cooks are quick. Otherwise, the food is really lackluster, and the prices are higher compared to the Mission. Go elsewhere. Gordo’s (which is about 18 blocks down) is way better. But since you’re already in the Richmond, just get Asian food instead.