Don Pancho

Found this place after missing two places traveling through Knoxville. So happy we did…read more It's a small rustic place, very casual. It actually has a small grocery store in the back. The service is amazing and the staff is very friendly. Gives you a family owned feeling. We started with the Papusa's. So fresh and tasty. The masa was delicious and they were very cheesy. I could've ate this for the entire meal. I had the fried chicken on top of plantains covered in cabbage and tomatoes with salsa and drenched in a fantastic tangy crema. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Jacob had the same as I, but with beef. The ground beef was so tasty. I could eat here every week. I have never had Honduran food before, so I don't know if I can say the following statement. But, I felt like grandma was in the back making a real authentic family meal.

This place is a mix between a sparse convenience store and a hole in the wall restaurant. But, if…read moreone looks past the informality, one would see a place where workers and families stop on for some tasty, home style South American food. I picked up a burritas hondureñas, which was like a corn tortillas sandwich filled with meat, eggs, beans, cheese, and avocado. It was good but the hot sauce on the table kicked it up a notch. The papusas were everything one could want and more. Cheesy, thick, and topped with a tangy curtido. I left feeling pleasantly plump and happy to see a place like this on my quick trip through Knoxville.

Pollo con Tajadas

Beef Tajadas?

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Interior of the shop. A Burrita Hondureños, some papusas, and a Sprite.

Delicias Colombianas

4.7(38 reviews)

41.0 mi

casual and welcoming, the kind of place where you instantly know locals come for a taste of home…read more The décor is simple, even a little quirky with what looks like a small gift shop counter tucked in the corner, but everything is clean and comfortable. Parking was surprisingly easy, which is always a plus, and the staff were warm and helpful in walking through the menu. It is the kind of environment where you can relax, settle in, and let the food be the star. And the food really does shine. The meat platter was loaded with juicy, well-seasoned cuts that made it a challenge to finish in one sitting, though I happily tried. Empanadas were crisp and flavorful, and the sides tied everything together nicely. Portions are generous across the board, so you definitely leave feeling satisfied. This is a place to come hungry and curious, because every dish feels like a little celebration of Colombian flavors.

First of all, forget the beautiful picture of colorful buildings on the web site, this place looks…read morederelict from the outside. Half of the building has black plastic bags covering the windows, and the other half doesn't look much better. Before we saw the "Open" lighted sign, we were about to drive away thinking that it had closed down or moved elsewhere. Anyway, once inside, it's a small, brightly painted place, with 4 or 5 tables, a counter and a small Colombian souvenir (hats, flags, etc.) section. More like a cafe than a restaurant. Once seated, my wife had a diet coke and I had a dark Colombian beer ($6.75 for a small can); ' it was nothing special. When I asked for a glass for my beer, I was given a large plastic soda tumbler !? ' Wife had the Red Snapper entree ($30), which came with rice, beans, one tostone, a little salad and couple of slices of avocado. The fish was a good size, and although it looked like a red snapper, we both agreed that it had a very fishy taste, which red snapper definitely shouldn't. I suggested she send it back, however, not wanting to make a fuss, she instead, dipped bites of fish into the bean sauce to cover the fishy taste. Fortunately, she didn't get sick... I had the 'Bandeja Paisa Montañera' ($24) which is basically, a mixed grill that was comprised of a Colombian sausage, a "morcilla" (blood sausage), "grilled steak", and fried fatty pork belly with a fried egg, white rice, a little fried plantain, half a small avocado, and a small plain arepa (corn cake). It was largely as expected except that the "grilled steak" was thin and tough, and having tasted the questionable fish beforehand, I didn't enjoy any of it. Service? Well, he brought the food, but I had to go to the counter to look for him to order a second Colombian beer (different type this time, but similarly undistinguished). Later, he shouted across the restaurant from behind the counter to ask if we wanted anything else; even though the place was empty. ' Won't be back...

Face is too real

Plato marinero/ seafood plate A great mix of seafood, rice, sweet plantains.

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Seafood plate

Latin Love Kitchen

4.9(34 reviews)

46.9 mi

In from out of town and have been to El Salvador and Costa Rica. This is just as authentic and even…read moremore delicious. We came here two days in a row for lunch and we'll always associate our time in Kingsport with Latin Love. It's that good! Family-owned with great staff. Ask for Gabby, tell her the food is good, and she'll say "I know! This is my passion!" Bon appetit.

Amazing family owned place. Latin food was amazing. We had…read morethe beef stew with white rice, the beef was super tender and tasty. Rice was perfect. We also did the garlic chicken and tamales and they were great. Fried yucca is a must beware the portions are really big so you can share the yucca it's so much. Lunch and dinner portions are huge too. We ate it all so no pics of the food but awesome!!

A Costa Rica style of Taco,

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Bright interior

Five Cousins Pollo A La Brasa

4.8(54 reviews)

41.1 mi

I'd give it more stars if I could. It's at least a 7 stars out of 5 place. The only negative might…read morebe there is limited seating, but it just seems cozy. As soon as you walk in, you can smell the food, it smells So Delicious. The service is very attentive, and the wait for food was just long enough for them to cook it fresh. This will be our new default "what's for dinner" place.

I was excited to try this place because the reviews and business description made it sound like an…read moreauthentic Peruvian rotisserie restaurant. Unfortunately, I felt that description was misleading. The owners are from Honduras, and in my opinion, the food did not taste like authentic Peruvian rotisserie. The chicken was dry and lacked flavor, and the rest of the food was pretty basic. The ambiance was also very basic, and the service was neutral at best--not particularly friendly or hospitable, especially as someone visiting on vacation. I've had much better Peruvian food at other places. I wouldn't recommend this spot if you're specifically looking for authentic Peruvian rotisserie. If you're simply looking for basic chicken, it may be fine.

Carne Asada, fried plantains, and fried yuca

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Chicken and Steak combo with charro beans and friend plantains.

Salvadorena La Benedicion

5.0(2 reviews)

28.4 mi

Awesome food! Great tacos de tripas and other hard to find foods. Quick service tooread more

Oh my word! 5 star flavor! This is gas station Salvadorean food and in my top 3 nationwide and the…read moresecond best "restaurant"pupusa I have ever had!!!! We accidentally found this place while on vacation. I had bean and cheese, pork and cheese and a chicken and cheese. The bean was a little burnt but the pork and chicken were flavorful and amazing. The slaw was favored with jalapeños and was more carrot than cabbage and had spicy amazing flavor. The sauce was pretty plain but the slaw made up for it. I was thankful for a local that interpreted for me because I could not have ordered without him. Don't be scared of gas station food! Be adventurous!

Gas station and restaurant

Part of their menu

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3 pupusas

Aroma Cafe

4.5(321 reviews)

46.7 mi

I cant think of words good enough to describe this amazing local eatery! Have yet to have anything…read moreremotely unsatisfying! The cuban sandwich is delicious and large, and the cheesesteak.. unbelievably scrumptious! Stop by and I guarantee you will want to go back again!!

Food was good and had decent prices. We particularly enjoyed the red beans and rice. We will be…read morecoming back. This place stays busy so parking can sometimes be hard to find.

I drink and food

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Cuban coffee time!

Algo Delii

5.0(3 reviews)

47.3 mi

Great people, great food! Stuffed with generous portions, Algo's arepas are a perfect lunch or…read moredinner. Delicious and filling! The house sauce would push the food over the top, except that the food is already over the top, but that sauce is decadent nonetheless. Knoxville is fortunate to have a solid Venezuelan food spot!

Food, service is great Arepas and milkshakes the best. I went with work buddies for lunch.read more

Arepas chicken and cheese.

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Budare Latin Cuisine

4.8(16 reviews)

52.6 mi

Venezuelan food in downtown JC? Absolutely! And it's delicious. A must visit…read more Don't let the location scare you away. I'm once you step inside you will feel like you are on an exotic vacation. Came after work on a week day with some coworkers. They took great care of all of us. I ordered my very first cachapa. Now it's my new favorite. Also got an order of their tostones (not on the menu by itself but they make them and sell them as an appetizer). Brought an empanada home for my hubby and he loved it. Good sized dining area inside with booths and tables. Pretty mural on one wall. Can't wait to come back.

First time trying Venezuelan food, and wow, what an impression! Everything was absolutely delicious…read moreand the customer service was a phenomenal. We were shown pictures of the dishes, given an explanation of what everything was, and it was an overall great experience. We had the Pabellon and the Sampler, so we tried a bit of everything, and I ordered the Soursop juice as well. First but definitely not last time at Budare :)

Part of the dining area and order station.

Cachapa with Cheese

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Abeja's House Cafe

4.7(391 reviews)

63.7 mi

Fantastic food, the best coffee ever, loose tea in a teapot (!!) and excellent Gluten Free options…read more go there now!

Very good selections across the board! The food prep and presentation is really excellent. I love…read morethe Cajun chicken and shrimp. It was not spicy hot but very savory. The double chocolate pancakes with strawberry drizzle and fresh whip, whipped cream was exceptional. The Tres Leches cake was on point as well. The serve staff were very kind and took great care of us. Great restaurant in South Asheville if you want really good food. It's great for brunch as well as breakfast and lunch.

Ray and buddies on front deck...

Huevos Rancheros

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French toast

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jose M.

52

6

5

4 years ago

This was the worst! Tacos and Rice were bad; no flavor. I cannot believe this place is open.

Mike H.

1

6

1

6 years ago

Have great food and I had a great time with the family!

Don Pancho - mexican - Updated October 2026

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Mi Toro

4.3

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First time trying Mi Toro, about a week ago. Typical Mexican restaurant with booth and table…read moreseating; seems like an older building. They have several TVs around the restaurant, and was showing the World Cup and news at the time. They weren't very busy at lunchtime. We were seated immediately and received their complementary chips, salsa and a cheese/bean dip combo. After that the service got slow. It took a while for our server to come, he took our drink orders and when he returned one was wrong. Then he didn't return for a while to take our food order. Maybe he was preoccupied with the World Cup? Once we received our food the dishes were very good, but not great. Typical food flavors that most Mexican restaurants have. However, the portions were very large. Note that they don't offer the lunch menu on weekends, so you have to order dinner-sized portions. The chicken and steak fajitas were good and I certainly didn't leave hungry. It came with rice and beans, which were as usual at most Mex. restaurants. The wife enjoyed her beef, chicken and bean enchilada supreme meal, but the cheese enchilada wasn't good. The enchilada sauce was good but not great. The short story is the ambience was average, the service was hit or miss, the food was good but not great, and the dinner portion sizes are large. We may visit again sometime but aren't in any rush. It would be nice if they offered the lunch menu on weekends during lunch hours.

Keep it simple. Great quac topped with pico. À la cart is a good way to have a relleno and a taco…read more But don't go for all the cheese goop, sides and huge platters. The service was great and ambiance typical.

Caballo De Oro Mexican Restaurant

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In an area with so many Mexican restaurants, I missed this one for years. I am now wishing I would…read morehave been going here all along. Very convenient location, although parking is a bit tricky due to an older lot with faded lines. Inside the restaurant is really basic but quaint and clean. Server was top notch - maybe the best I've had in some time. Food came pretty quickly, even though we arrived at the same time as four other parties. The food was very good, if not overwhelmingly so. The one thing this place seems to really have going for it is the staff and the type of Mexican cuisine they make. It's not commercial, chain, or whatever nor is it uber authentic which is usually a bit too much for most palettes. In other words, it's just the right balance of those two things. Will go again for sure.

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food don't come here, I Oder some beef tacos and got the…read moretacos. That looked like I got the at Taco Bell, beans and rice didn't have a very good taste, and the staff wasn't very friendly, waited a good little while for order to be taken, I do not recommend!

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Food was great, the service was pretty fast. I enjoyed my food. My friends tamale was a little…read morerough. But I recommend to go here!

Food was good and restaurant was busy for a weekday afternoon. Seating area was clean…read more Lost a couple stars because our waitress was too busy flirting with the older bossman and cackling/laughing way too loud at everything he said. Was distracting.

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Excellent tamales & not ur standard Florida Cuban sandwich. One of the best & bread was fabulous…read more Must try the Torta Cubano. But I will hold the jalapeño next time

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Ok when I was in the military I was stationed in California in the early 90's, and I got a taste…read morefor authentic Mexican cuisine. I especially liked the small street tacos. Well this place has them, and they are great. Just a sprinkle of onion and cilantro on them, plus the meat flavor is also great. I liked to add just a touch of their chip salsa to them. The tortillas are not greasy maybe from a bag, and a very thick yummy salsa. If you read my other reviews you will know I consider the facility as a part of the overall review. Hint hint the food is great.

MOST authentic Mexican in East Tn! Do not pass up this hidden gem! Reasonably priced for portions…read moreand quality! EMPANADAS ARE TO DIE FOR.

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Wonderful fish tacos! Actually everything our group had was amazing. Prices are very reasonable.read more

Traveling home, highway adjacent Mexican restaurants can be risky. This was not a scenic or pretty…read morestore BUT a lit of options, extremely friendly and kind staff, and a clean restaurant with good food. Chips were fresh, crisp, and served with a decent, basic salsa. I had the beef chimichanga and it was generous in size, hot, and covered in cheese. The birria tacos were rich and three came with an order. Not the greatest, bug better than fast food.

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For a self-proclaimed lover of authentic Mexican cuisine, finding "amazing" salsa and juicy chicken…read moreis a huge win. When the protein is prepared well enough to overcome a soft tortilla, you know the kitchen team has the seasoning down. A welcoming staff and a "nice" manager can often diffuse the frustration of a wrong order. It's a testament to the "human" side of service when you're willing to overlook a mistake because the energy of the place felt right. The "No Notepad" Risk: While some seasoned servers pride themselves on memory, it's a high-wire act. In this case, the steak-versus-chicken mix-up is the exact reason why the "old school" pen and paper (or a handheld POS) remains the gold standard for accuracy--especially when dietary preferences are involved. A tortilla that is too soft can definitely dampen the experience of a great taco. It's a shame the fried tortillas didn't make it to the table, as that crunch would have likely balanced out the juiciness of the chicken perfectly.

We were a large group of 9 on a Sunday night that was met with warm smiles and delicious chips and…read moresalsa! 6 adults and 3 teens ordered all different meals and beverages. Everything served together and orders were perfect. Food was delicious. Would definitely return next time we are in town.

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