We came here on a Friday night, the wait was only 20 min but we got lucky. The host and bartender were super nice and got us drinks while we wait. We got the OG marg. It was above average and you could taste the tequila! Our waiter was awesome. Attentive and friendly. The tortillas were made in house. The burrito was amazing. $15 was worth it. The chips, salsa, and guacamole were also good. However the guacamole was only avocado and lime juice it tasted like. Great atmosphere. Cute bar and outdoor patio. Inside is a little crowded. Bathroom was updated and pretty clean. read more

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Loved the food especially the malpan bowl as well as the sweet potato tacos. Definitely give this place a try. read more

Mal Pan - Sweet potato tacos - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Visited Thursday right as they opened (11 am). I was greeted/seated right away. People were gradually flowing in - by 12 the restaurant was nearly full. I would recommend calling/making a reservation for evening dining. The decor/ambiance was super cute!!! I ordered: $43.30 Guacamole, Salsa and Chips - $11.00 (they do not offer complimentary chips and salsa) Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita - $14.00 California Burrito - $15.00 The california burrito had glowing reviews, so I had to give it a try. The steak was delicious - however I wasn't a fan of the fries in the burrito. The cucumber jalapeno margarita had the refreshing taste from the cucumber then a heavy kick from the jalapeno! It was good - just kept my water handy!! All-in-all ... I enjoyed my meal. I plan to come back and try different menu items. read more

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first time eating at this place and was not impressed. I'm Latina and I was Hoping for good authentic taste Great Location Nice Decor Pricing was good until I tasted the food The food was Tex Mex style Very bland Cheese dip was horrible tasted very oily would break the chip every time I dipped Salsa was tasty but they serve it in the most tiniest metal cup Rice was bland Corn was bland Service was nice Won't be back read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Sexy little Yucatán spot in Piedmont Row! If you like esquites, vibrant Mexican flavors, and house made errrrrrythaaaaang you have to visit Mal Pan. We tried: *Cochinitas Pibil taco *Sweet Potato taco *Esquites *Surf & Turf California Burrito (we were told this burrito was voted best in the state of North Carolina) *housemade tepache (fermented pineapple juice) *the Jaguar cocktail *mezcal and lager The best thing by far was the Cochinitas Pibil taco: tortillas are made in house, the onions escabeches were delicious, and the meat super tender. They serve this taco with a side of (do I have to keep repeating house-made?) habanero salsa that was fire! Literally. Soooo good. The least fave for us was the famous surf and turf burrito. It just tasted like fried food that was fried again in a fried tasting tortilla. The tortilla wasn't fried, but it was seared in oil and it was really heavy on the palette. I would've loved for this burrito to have grilled shrimp instead of fried, and for the potatoes inside to have been roasted instead of French fry style. The taste of the fryer just took over and nothing else could come through for us. Obviously tho, if the server Matt (who deserves his own review he was so amazing) was right - this burrito is beloved by many. So you'll have to decide for yourself by giving it a try ;) *Pro-tips: sit inside for a date, sit outside with friends or family. Parking is irritating - use the Piedmont Row garage and expect to drive up at least 2 levels to find non reserved spaces. Ask for Matt: so knowledgeable about the menu and just plain nice :) Bar was on point, service perfect and prices good. I would come back for sure if I was in the SouthPark area and tired of wood-fired flatbreads and cast iron Brussels sprouts if you know what I mean. Lol Gracias, Mal Pan, for a beautiful date nite. read more

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Charlotte is a city infamously known for overpricing EVERY THING! And locals LOVE to overpay, I think it makes them feel important. But I can assure you one thing about the subpar food in this city, it's far from authentic as is the case with this joke of a restaurant. What an INSULT to the Mexican culture, there is no Real Mexican that would patronize this overpriced, subpar restaurant. It takes a real genius to be ok paying over $10.50 for ONE FREAKIN TACO!! Yes you read that correctly, $10.50 for ONE TACO!! Fortunately for them, Charlotte isn't a foodie city so the people don't have a clue and they don't seem to understand that Mexican food is NOT EXPENSIVE!! Much less street food like TACOS!! They'll be closing soon like the majority of the restaurants in Charlotte. I'll stick to my authentic Mexican hole in the wall spots that charge $10.50 for 3 tacos, rice and beans and a drink! GTFOH!!! read more

Sooooo good!!! Shrimp tacos were amazing, cucumber Margarita was fantastic and the service was excellent!! Such a cute spot and great for date night and small groups. I woke up this morning still thinking about those tacos Lolol!! I can't believe it took me so long to come here when it's right down the road!! Definitely will add this to our go-to spots! read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Amazing experience. The food is incredible and all the different homemade salsas make the meal. Service was kind and attentive. Ambience is warm and unique. One of the best Mexican meals I've had. Can't wait to come back. read more

Mal Pan is a great little spot. The California Burrito is so delicious! I will say, we did have to wait over 15 minutes when we had a reservation and the service was kind of slow. I will definitely return here for that burrito! read more

Mal Pan - California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Came here for my Birthday and it was delicious! Our waiter was accommodating and kind. The ambience was nice, slightly too dim on the lights for me but nice nonetheless. My husband had the surf and turf burrito which he said was alright. I had the cheese enchiladas and I loved them! The mole sauce was so flavorful and they didn't skimp on the sauce it was delicious! We had the chips salsa guacamole and cheese fondue which was good too. Overall I think this is a great mexi place to try in Charlotte! read more

Mal Pan - Cheese Enchiladas de Cazuela (Cheese) - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I was lucky enough to win a contest for the taco fiesta pack from here and it was extra great because I haven't tried it yet. So much stuff in this pack from tacos, meat, OG margarita mix, carnitas & steak, pico/beans/guac and onions with sauces. . So I jammed packed my tortilla with everything and dug into these amazing tacos, the meat was perfect and the beans and rice provided the base. . To be 100 with everyone, this was one of the best taco places I've had the chance to try in Charlotte. I would highly recommend it and will absolutely be a repeat customer. read more

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I rate this place 5 out of 5 the atmosphere was perfect on the outside patio. Food was amazing. I ordered enchiladas not knowing the sauce was going to be red lol I was expecting green sauce but it was ok. The red sauce tasted like apple butter. It was very different. The fundido cheese was very good to me with the chorizo. Drinks was phenomenal as well. I will be back. I think it is a nice place to sit out on the patio and Journal. read more

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The food at this place reminds me of an upscale restaurant in Mexico City. Absolutely fabulous! The enchiladas were excellent. The cocktails were tasty. Everything about the food was almost perfect. When I left, I felt satisfied. The service was very good. Our server was very cheerful and helpful. I will go back!!! read more

Been to Mal Pan before and was a huge fan. But last night only two staff members were wearing masks. Yes, I'm tired of masks, too. But there is an active mask mandate in this county and I was really disappointed this establishment chose to "exempt" itself. I probably won't go back as a result. We all need to do our part so we really have no need for masks at some point in the future. Additionally, we were interested in ordering the tres leches but our waiter never even offered us the option. He promptly delivered our check as we wrapped up our entree. Weird. Honestly it was best. We were so overwhelmed at the flagrant disregard for safety with the no masking situation among nearly all staff and management, we were really ready to leave, anyway. read more

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Mixed results on my last visit for brunch with friends so I'll start with the good. The place is classy and has a great vibe. The service was prompt and friendly. Finally I really enjoyed my breakfast tacos and would definitely order it again. The first problem I had was that my mimosa had way too much orange juice and no champagne taste. My rule of thumb is usually if you cannot see through the other side of the glass then there is probably too much juice so when they placed it down I could tell right away this was going to be the case. Mimosas aren't cheap so it is a little disappointing to feel that you have been shorted on the pour. The second disappointment was in their queso. A good queso dip should be smooth and creamy and usually should have some peppers for flavor. The queso we were provided was essentially just gooey cheese that was not all the way melted and would simply harden as soon as it was scooped onto your chip. Felt more like fondue than a queso dip. Overall I enjoyed my main course and had a good time at the restaurant but these two areas I think they could improve on. I wouldn't hesitate to return if my friends wanted to but I wouldn't recommend we order queso and I'd probably stick to beer. read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Every person enjoyed their meal! I really recommend the surf and turf it was amazing! read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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The vibe is cute in here but our server seemed to have forgotten about us and another very kind gentleman ended up putting the rest of our order in, bringing us hot sauce and refills, and bringing our check. I asked if it was tip shared because I wanted to make sure the kind guy was going to get some of the tip for doing basically everything. The food was mid, the tajin on my margarita didn't taste like tajin, and the tres leches tasted like bread pudding :( read more

I think Mal Pan is the best Mexican restaurant I've been to in Charlotte. Everywhere else that call themselves Mexican restaurants are really Tex-Mex, so it's a godsend that this place is not that. The decor is cute and a seat at the bar is not a downgrade. They also have a covered outdoor patio. They even had high chairs. The menu is a blend of apps, tacos, burritos, and some larger plates. I got the surf and turf cali, which I loved. It was flavorful and had a good amount of protein and fillings. My husband got two tacos and said the steak was ok but the shrimp was really good. The black refried beans side he got was yummy too. We also split the chips, salsa, and guacamole, and the chips were excellent. The sides were good too, but overall $11 for that side is a bit exorbitant. That's why this place isn't 5 stars for me. It's pretty pricy. Even a slice of their tres leches is $11! The staff were friendly and on top of things, which is always a cherry on top. Either way, it's definitely worth checking out! read more

The food here was amazing, my friend & I had the pleasure of getting James as a server & baby was knowledgeable about everything on the menu. While I'm certain if we had someone else we would've enjoyed the food there was something about him that took our experience over the top. He spoke of everything in such great detail & treated us like we were old friends. You can tell when people are listening to hear & listening to understand and James definitely understood. From start to finish we were overly pleased with the service. Thank you James! That said we sat outside & now that fall is kicking into high gear I don't recommend selecting outdoor seating however it seems perfect for the warmer months especially since they leave the door to the patio open so you can still feel the atmosphere from inside the restaurant. Depending on where you sit you can see life happening around you which adds to the ambiance. This is the perfect spot to dine in or take out because the food is perfection. There wasn't anything that I tasted that I didn't like. read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Vegetarians and vegans beware. I hover between the two, choosing to eat vegetarian when it's unavoidable at restaurants. I haven't had an issue eating vegetarian at Mexican restaurants in years, and the Mal Pan menu online looked great for me. When I arrived, I asked the waiter for his recommendations, based on my dietary restrictions. He mentioned the sweet potato and jardin tacos, which he said could be made without cheese and crema. Both came with a side of rice and refried beans. "Are the refied beans vegetarian?" "Um, no ma'am, they aren't." "Okay, and is the rice made with chicken stock?" "Um, yes, ma'am, it is." "Ok, so the dish can't really be made vegan with no cheese/no crema, can it?" Long story short, they brought me the tacos with no cheese, no crema, no rice and plain black beans. They were good and the rest of my party was very pleased with the food. But reading that this restaurant is labeled vegetarian friendly on Yelp is funny, and I'm sad for the vegetarian patron a few years ago who raved in her review about the vegetarian tacos and great rice and beans. The menu isn't clear at all about what is and is not vegetarian/vegan, and had I not thought to ask questions about the rice and beans, my waiter would have misled me. Given how vegan/vegetarian-friendly Charlotte is, I'm surprised that such a nice restaurant doesn't have their menu labeled and their wait staff up to speed. In sum, the food is great for meat eaters. We were sat immediately, the ambiance is nice, and we overall had a nice night. But if a member of your party has dietary restrictions, be extra careful when ordering or steer clear from this restaurant altogether. read more

Amazing food Simple menu California burrito and the surf and turf are my favs but you can't go wrong with anything read more

The surf and turf cali burrito was out of the grading range! So freaking delicious! Love that all of their draught beer comes in an ICE cold glass. Will definitely return very soon. read more

Servers very attentive; food is not your usual. Quite a fun adventure (French Fries in a Burrito? Surprisingly great) Parking is the one star drawback, either underground or on street which could be a distance. A number of restaurants all within 50 yards of each other exacerbate the parking situation. Will return, but only during low traffic hours like two to four in afternoon read more

Malpan is a great Tex mex restaurant with great choices of Mexican food . Their drinks are amazing and have an absolutely beautiful inside /outdoor place to sit . The tacos are too good . Would love to come back . Their service was amazing - the girl bunch had real fun read more

First time here recommended by my friend. The location of this place is so convenient, never need to worry about parking spot because there's a parking garage next to it. We sat outside the view was nice. Not so crowded on the day we came. Service was great, waitress stopped by a few of times to seek if we need any services. Food wise, I'm not a big burrito fan but the burritos here are delicious and portion size is big. I can literally split into 2 meals! Would love to come here again when I'm in CLT again! read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

waitress was fine. she pushed California burrito and I was busy but I obliged. supposed to be steak. but steak amounted to about one fifteenth of the burrito if that. the rest? filler. common complaint I know. but this was bad. won't go back. read more

Mediocre. I mean the burritos were basic. Just a burrito. Not spectacular. It was alright. read more

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We enjoyed Mal Pan and hope to go back. The food (queso fundido, California burrito, and beef torta) were excellent. The portion sizes were substantial. The server was very good despite it being a busy Saturday night. They have a covered patio, where we sat, which was very comfortable. read more

I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere is great. Excellent for a quick lunch or even a casual date. Staff is always friendly and helpful.

The food is so good and the service is expectable. A cute little lunch spot with a nice atmosphere read more

Mal Pan - Kids Burrito with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

What a great gem in Charlotte! I absolutely loved everything about my visit to Mal Pan! The service is great and the food is even better. I ordered the burrito and it's definitely one of the best I've had. The drinks are delicious and so refreshing. I love the aesthetic and the relaxed vibe of Mal Pan. I highly recommend you give them a try! read more

Mal Pan - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I'm so late with this review, but I really like Mal Pan and couldn't wait to try the sweet potato taco withSautéed sweet potato, feta cheese, scallions, toasted pine nuts, salsa almendra. I wasn't blown away with the sweet potato taco, it was just ok for me. I did enjoy the house made chips and salsa. The star of my visit was the portobello quesadilla(cheese, mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onion) with guacamole and salsa on the side. The quesadilla was huge, super flavorful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

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Food is so good. Been here several times -lunch, brunch, dinner and carryout (during covid). Tortillas and salsas are amazing and flavorful-not your typical Charlotte mexican restaurant-so be prepared for something fresh and flavorful. Drinks delish as well. Indoor and outdoor dining in quaint setting and excellent service. So glad this restaurant survives and continues to please. read more

Looking forward to a good cocktail but the Margherita fell well short of expectations, no flavor, little to no tequila. The Pozole was described as: A traditional pork stew with an heirloom cacahuacintle blanco hominy, salsa diabla, onion, radish, cabbage, oregano, lime However it was served without salsa, without cabbage, without radish, without oregano. When I inquired about the accompaniments they informed me the kitchen was out, if you don't have the proper ingredients don't offer the dish! Our tacos were served on poor quality yellow corn tortillas, the fillings were delicious but the overall experience was lackluster. I would not recommend. read more

Stopped in twice for brunch over the last few months and this was phenomenal both times. Great food, good service. The omelette is my favorite! read more

We had a lovely time at Mal Pan last evening. Food, cocktails, service and atmosphere were all enjoyable. In the increasingly crowded market of restaurants in Charlotte, Mal Pan stood out above the masses. Mexican/californian/ Baja-style food. We arrived early without reservations a d were seated quickly (outside the main doors). Great location as it was fun to watch the people walking by. We all had cocktails. I had Tommy's margarita w/o agave syrup and with an added splash of Cointreau, no salt. Perfectly mixed w/ a bonus dried lime slice. We started with the queso fundidp that came with a trio of side dips - guac, salsa verde and salsa. The cheese was piping hot and fun to twirl onto chips. The salsa verde was a standout - fresh, bright with a little zing. I ordered the two tacos for $15. I chose the steak taco w/ sautéed onions, peppers & mushrooms, salsa & a really nice corn tortilla. The server rec'd the fried shrimp taco. Huge beer battered shrimp w/ fresh avocado, jicama slaw, fried leeks and a smoky chipotle mayo on a flour tortilla. Great! Nice round, balanced flavors. The menu was perfect in that there were plenty of choices but not too many that the kitchen spreads itself too thin. Rotating dinner specials menu too. The service was top notch. The server gave us the backstory of the restaurateur/owner and described their food style. He was attentive and had assistant staff to help. Not many restaurants are checking boxes, let alone all of the boxes, these days but Mal Pan definitely did. Bravo! read more

Mal Pan - Not a great photo but the steak taco and the fried jumbo shrimp taco w/ refried beans & rice. - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Exceptional California burrito! I loved the flavors and sauces on the California burrito--french fries and steak and guacamole all wrapped up in a fabulous sauce and tortilla. I loved it!! Truly amazing flavors and wonderful steak! As delicious as the burrito was the $5 Sunday special margarita was not impressive. We sat outside and observed the staff wearing masks. I would suggest going at off times so parking is easier at the garage. read more

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Food was just okay could've used a little more flavor for my bowl but the drinks were awesome! & the service was fantastic!! Bartender was knowledgeable & the ambiance was great! Love how the decor in the restaurant blends very well together read more

This place had a great tacos and chips, as good as some of the places I've been to in California. Great service too!

This is one the best date spots in Charlotte: the food is FANTASTIC and the interior decorating is eclectic and cozy. The service is always friendly and efficient. read more