When my husband Austin and I walked into Señor Pancho’s in Louisville on a Monday night, I was a little surprised at how busy it was. I always expect restaurants to be pretty empty on a Monday, but there were quite a few other patrons when we arrived.
The bright yellow walls adorned with beer signs and funny sayings added a fun vibe to the experience. Another surprise was that there were still plastic COVID barriers between the stalls, but I understand.
I always like to look at the menu before eating and have an idea of what I want to order before we arrive. I can be indecisive when eating, so that helps.
Menus at Mexican restaurants can be a bit overwhelming with so many options. It’s no different with Señor Pancho. The menu is extensive.
This time I thought I’d try something I don’t usually get. I landed on the Carnitas ($12.99), which are fried pork tips served with rice, beans, guacamole salad, pico de gallo, and tortillas.
With three small, warm tortillas on the side and a large plate full of delicious ingredients, I assembled my meal. I started the tortilla on the bottom and topped it with bean puree, rice, fried pork tips, pico de gallo, and then guacamole salad. I packed everything and took my first bite.
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It was so good, so juicy and flavorful. I couldn’t get over how juicy the meat was. It’s essentially the Mexican version of pulled pork, but I enjoyed it so much more than a pulled pork sandwich. The meat tasted so juicy and a bit sweet when mixed with the other items on the plate. The refried beans had the perfect amount of cheese on them, giving them a creamy, gooey texture.
The tortillas themselves had great flavor and were perfectly soft. They came out wrapped in foil and kept them warm until I was ready to eat them.
When I go out to dinner, I often like to order something that I wouldn’t dare to order at home. It makes me appreciate the food more. And that’s definitely something I couldn’t replicate at home.
I have never enjoyed a Mexican meal like this.
I even liked the fries and salsa that were served before the meal. I usually find the fries at Mexican restaurants bland and the salsa often comes across as watery and not very flavorful. Señor Pancho’s fries were crispy and just salty enough, and the salsa had good flavor and a nice spiciness. I ate a lot more than usual.
Our waiter asked if we wanted queso for the fries too and we decided against it. I think most people add it based on his reaction. Now I wish we had tried.
Austin tried the chimichangas ($10.99), which comes with two chimichangas — one beef, one chicken — served with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese dip, and guacamole. They are served with a side of beans and rice.
He said the whole meal had a nice mix of flavors and all the elements came together nicely. He liked the chicken chimichanga a little more than the beef. He said it just tasted better. After trying some of my fried pork tips, he said the beef chimichanga tasted similar in flavor, but it wasn’t as sweet as the pork tips.
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While we were eating, a family was celebrating a birthday at a nearby table, and the crew came out to sing “Feliz Cumpleaños” (Happy Birthday) to the birthday boy. I thought that was funny.
After that, most of the other patrons cleared out and a few trickled in, as well as a few people picking up takeout orders.
The restaurant is in a small square which has a few other shops including a My FitLife personal training studio. Our table was against the window wall, so we saw a bunch of people sprinting past the window doing some kind of workout. We joked that we had dinner with a show. I was glad we didn’t sit on the terrace as I think that would have been awkward if they walked past while eating.
Señor Pancho’s is located at 1408 N. Chapel St. in Louisville and is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.: 00 open. Visit senorpanchosoh.com for more information and the full menu.
Senor Panchos
Taste: i loved everything I wish we lived closer so we could try some more items on the take away menu. 5/5 stars
Ambience: The view of a parking lot isn’t the best, and the decor has a very alcoholic feel to it. 3.5/5 stars
Service: Everyone was friendly and prompt. There were a couple of mishaps with missing straws and cutlery. 4/5 stars
Concept: It’s not a new concept but the menu offers plenty of choice. 4/5 stars
Price: Prices seemed consistent or cheaper than similar restaurants. Looking at our receipt, one of the Monday meals was special. 5/5 stars
Overall rating: 4.3 stars