By far my favorite place in the city for authentic Mexican food. Everything on the menu is delicious, especially the chimichangas. Service is always top level. The lime margaritas are a must have as well. read more

Go to spot for amazing Mexican at home in Ottawa We are regulars here and know the staff, they are always fun to chat with. Got a pitcher of beer and the cheese enchiladas with half beans half rice. Chefs kiss Got to enjoy the patio today read more

Pancho Villa - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Portions are out of this world! Flavor is out of this world! Staff is out of this world friendly! You can not go wrong here! The dessert here is also delicious (unlike the Merry Dairy) read more

Was in the mood for some Mexican so decided to get some takeout. Typically when I go I eat at the restaurant since you get the salsa and chips to begin(which you can now order in your take out) You can either call in or use skip the dishes to get your meals to go. I got myself the two cheese enchiladas with the verde sauce that normally comes with the sides of a salad and rice. In the app I asked for half beans and half rice. In addition I asked for one enchilada with the verse sauce and one with the red. It was great the restaurant saw the notes and accommodated my order accordingly. Food was delicious as usual and it's a great price as well. The order was ready for pickup at the exact time I had asked and it came with some crazy spicy hot sauce for those of you who like the extra kick. It fulfilled my craving for Mexican food! read more

Pancho Villa - a plate of food with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Try the mole sauce! It is the best I have ever had! Sure, the food is very good, and the service is friendly, and they have a great list of non-alchoholic drinks, and the beans are better than any I have had in the US. But all that pales in comparison to that mole sauce! read more

We ordered takeout from here after craving for Mexican food! The staff is really friendly and the food is delicious! I would order from here again and support the local businesses. I've been here before to dine in and had a great experience. I ordered the Pancho Special this time. The beans were so good! I could eat a whole bowl by itself! My only complaint is that they forgot my guacamole. I also didn't realize that there isn't a sauce that comes with the rolled enchiladas. I would order a side of sauce the next time to give it some flavour and moisture. Hubby loved the Carne Salteada. read more

Pancho Villa - Carne Salteada + Pancho Special - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Love this place we go there often. We went there in May. Amazing Mexican joint in the hearts of Downtown Ottawa, fairly priced with outdoor patio in Summer. Enchiladas are amazing, love the dipping salsa that they offer. Do try it out, I recommend this one. read more

Pancho Villa - two plates of food on a table - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

See all

With so many of the Mexican restaurants in Ottawa serving California style Mexican, finding this place was a wonderful change! The style of Mexican is much closer to Tex-Mex and I loved it! The fajitas were amazing and the portion size huge for one. They had a super hot sauce (only sometimes available) which made my day. Our server was super nice and attentive. We will definitely make this a frequent stop. read more

See all

Wanted to go around town and see what Ottawa has to offer. Landed at Pancho. We sat inside as the patio was packed. But the inside had a large group which made the room quite noisy. The ceiling is a bit low and that makes the inside more noisy. The chairs are hard wood that makes it a bit difficult to sit for a longer time. The food took a bit longer to come perhaps because the kitchen was busy. There is a complimentary bowl of chips and salsa that was served right away. Started the dinner with Veggie Nachos. Enough cheese and some veggies (most of them green and black olives). The quantity is just enough for 2-3 people. Comes with a small bowl of salsa. We had a Vegetarian Fajitas and a Vegetarian Combination platter which consisted of a Burrito, a Hard Taco and an Enchilada. The platter comes with some black beans, rice and a little bit of salad. The platter was well worth the price and more than enough for a person. The Fajita comes with 4 tortillas and a ton of veggies and also rice, pinto beans, small portions of sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Again more than enough for one. Between the three of us there was enough food for all. All the food was flavourful and good. I had to take some hot sauce which was amazing. The hot sauce seemed made on premises and did not come out of a bottle or can. Also had a Shirley Temple, which was OK. It tasted like Grapefruit Soda. read more

See all

My wife and I have been to many Mexican restaurants throughout the US and perhaps we are spoiled but this Mexican restaurant was one of the worst my wife and I ever experienced. First we ordered a Margherita and a coco loco drink and both literally had no alcohol in them. Regarding the Margherita when I mentioned I tasted no alcohol she insisted that the batch of fresh strawberries she added to the drink drowned out the taste of the tequila ....which was ludicrous but she took away the drink instead of adding more tequila. Next I ordered their chicken vegetable soup. The ingredients weren't bad (chicken carrots and broccoli ) but it was simply a broth soup with no flavor. We then ordered the chicken enchilada and the fajita which was really nothing to write home about. Normally both dishes are super hot with the fajitas sizzling. Here both were warm but the fajitas were not sizzling...the onions and chicken bland at best. And lastly I ordered a sprite and the sprite was super flat with no effervescence at all. About the only good thing about the restaurant was the nice picture in front of the restaurant and the outside seating. read more

My friends and I enjoy Pancho Villa so much we always come here for Mexican food. Me being a Latino knows their food has not changed ever since I frequented this spot. Great choice of different tequilas you would not find at the LCBO. Staff is very friendly and courteous and food is always great. The nachos could use improvement but that's not a problem as the food and drinks make up for it . Black beans and rice are to die for simple but great green sauce I drink that like water never had a complaint ever since I've been coming to this spot ,this place will truly calm your hunger pains if not have the tequila..........Adios y much as gracias read more

So I'm between a two and three stars here. Let's say it's 2.5. The service is really great. I mean, the people who work there were cool. What brings down my rating is the food. I hate to say it, but yeah. "Meh. I've experienced better." The salsa was a cardinal sin. I mean, it tasted like ketchup. I tried to pretend it was OK in front of my boyfriend who loves Mexican food, but - who was I kidding? - it was bad. Plus the chips... no bueno! On the plus side, you can wash down the food with a pitcher of Dos Equis, which indeed was needed. read more

Pancho Villa - Pancho's Vegetarian Enchiladas were a'ight. I'm just not used to this way they do it here. The favors were not what I expected. - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

See all

Note to reader: when walking in to this restaurant, double check you have the right restaurant, because myself and my friend walked into the neighbouring "Z" restaurant thinking it was Pancho Villa - we only discovered it wasn't after sitting down and reading the menu! Apparently this happens regularly, so I didn't feel as stupid. So, umm, yeh, be careful. Anyways, once we were inside, we were impressed by the casual yet authentically Mexican decor. With lively Gypsey Kings music playing in the background, this large restaurant was largely empty save for a few souls on a cold November Ottawa Sunday evening. I ordered a combination platter of two enchiladas (one chicken, one beef), and a chicken taco, along with beans, salad and rice. My friend had fajita's. Both were pretty good, although my beans were a bit mushy and hard to distinguish. I especially enjoyed the side salad, which they didn't neglect and had dressed well. The beef enchilada was not as good as I expected. The server was good, although it was really quiet that evening so it would be expected. Overall I enjoyed it and would like to come back again. read more

Pancho Villa - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

My husband and I had dinner here recently. We actually accidentally walked into Oz Kafe first thinking it was Pancho Villa. We quickly realized we were not in the right place. Pancho Villa is on that strip of Elgin where there are several restaurants in a little alcove like place (Lieutenant's Pump, Kochu, and Oz Kafe). There used to be a Pita Pit in there. Anyway, this is Tex-Mex, and for what it is, it was great. We were greeted right away when we entered and were given tortilla chips and salsa as soon as we sat down. They also gave us water right away. I had the Enchilada Verde ($12.95) and my husband had the regular Enchilada ($12.95). You get 2 enchiladas and you get your choice of beef, chicken or vegetarian. We both got beef. The only difference between our dishes was his came with their house sauce (red tomato sauce) and mine came with a green tomatillo sauce. Both dishes came with Mexican rice and a salad. The enchiladas were filled with tender pulled beef - and a generous portion of beef at that! I loved my verde sauce. It was rich and buttery and full of flavour. The enchiladas were a good size. I finished my plate and I was stuffed. The rice was just rice with seasoning and likely tomato paste (it did not have any pieces of vegetables or anything else in it). To me it tasted like Uncle Ben's or Dainty rice, but I secretly like Uncle Ben's and Dainty rice. The salad was mostly romaine lettuce. It had some shredded carrots and what looked like Pico de Gallo made with tomatillos on top. The dressing was tangy and good. Service was lightening fast. We got our food shortly after we ordered. Service was also friendly and competent. No complaints there. Do not go here expecting some gastronomic enlightenment. It's quick Tex-Mex food for a reasonable price. I would eat here more often if I lived or worked close by. read more

We visited for lunch. I love a good Mexican dish with margaritas but after looking at the prices we stuck with a pitcher of Keith's Red. My fiancé ordered the lunch beef fajitas and I ordered the super nachos with shredded chicken. We added cheese which is an additional charge and it's shredded. The server was amazing and recommended we test the mole sauce before ordering a dish of it. I'm glad we did, it's a great sauce but I'm not sure we would have enjoyed an entire dish of it. They have a spicy sauce that is made in house that is a jalapeño base that made the meal even better. read more

See all

I've been here a few times for both food and drinks. Compared to other Mexican food in Ottawa, I think poncho villa each time has been only ok at most. I got nachos one time and they were generously dressed which is nice. But kind of over priced. The cocktails are also good. I've also gotten tacos and again they were alright and expensive for what you get. The service is very friendly and they have a nice patio in the summer to enjoy. Overall, it might be worth checking out if you like Mexican food. read more

We've been coming here for years. The service is great, price is very reasonable and the food is amazing. Location is nice, especially in the warmer seasons where all of the patios are open and full of people. Definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone that would like to taste some authentic Mexican cuisine. read more

This is one of my favourite places in Ottawa. I've been coming since I first moved here in 2009. Love the food, the atmosphere, the service, the patio. It's wonderful. Pro-tip: they bring you a bowl of chips and salsa before you order. But, if you're on the patio, you have to request it. read more

Had a very good dinner with my girlfriend she got tacos which were good and I got a Burrito which was excellent. Massive margaritas! Good mexican food at a fair price! read more

Pancho Villa - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The food at Pancho Villa is great. Since our friends first brought my fiance and I, we've been many times and this restaurant is now on the short list when we're deciding where to eat out on short notice. I've tried the enchiladas, mole poblana, burritos. Vegetarian, beef, cheese, and chicken in everything they had to offer. I've never had a bad meal here. Their rice and black bean sides are very good and their house salad is fabulous (really, who cares about salad? It's that good.) Free nacho chips (not the oversalted junk food type, the warm and fresh authentic type) and salsa before your meal. Great margaritas. Make sure to ask for your margarita on the rocks so you don't get that slushy junk, though. Their staff is great. I haven't seen him in a while, but they used to have this incredible busboy who would pick up your plate within 30 seconds of you putting your napkin on it, no matter how busy the night, but who never swooped in too soon (as a slow eater, I notice these things). Your water glass was never empty with that guy around. I hope he still works there! If you love Mexican food, Pancho Villa is great and has something for everyone. read more

Pancho Villa is a sit down restaurant on Elgin street. They offer Tex-Mex meals and drinks. They do have outdoor seating, however, on a day with nice weather there's often no free tables on their patio. Pancho Villas menu features all the staples of Tex-Mex food found in Canada; hard shell tacos, fajitas, nachos and enchiladas. They do sometimes have more authentic Mexican dishes such as chilles rellenos, mole poblano and caramel flan. Their are options for vegetarians which you can asked to be veganized. Be forewarned! Though the items on the menu may look delicious, they will not taste good! I've been to this place over half a dozen times, and it's always bad! The vegetables are often soggy and generally look like they have turned. Many dishes involving crispy, fried tortillas are served with soggy tortillas. I don't know for sure, but I suspect it's because they're freezing and reheating the dishes. The only redeeming factors of Pancho Villa are: 1. Their outdoor patio on Elgin street. 2. Their extensive cocktail menu. They offer a plethora of frozen drinks such as margaritas, daiquiris, Kahlua coladas, Caribbean punch, Acapulco Sunsets, Coco Locos and Cactus Coolers. I enjoy having a drink outdoors, on Elgin on a nice summer evening. As long as you stay away from the food, you'll have a great time at Pancho Villa. read more

I came here for my bfs surprise 30th birthday and we had a great time, the food and drinks are delicious, and the location is wonderful I'm taking away 1 star because our server was beyond dumb.......I bought my bf a specialised cake and called before hand saying it's a surprise birthday party and asked if happy birthday could be sung etc the server lady brought out cake plates and forks before bringing out the cake ..............like seriously ? So my boyfriend went "oh did you buy me cake" read more

The best time to come to Pancho Villa is during the summer--they have a patio and they serve perfect food for eating outdoors in the summer. I've found the service to be friendly, the portions generous, and the food has consistently tasted good. It's a place I've often chosen to meet friends--especially in the summer. The ambience inside is nice, too. read more

Came here with a friend a few weeks ago and really enjoyed myself. We were greeted immediately and seated in a nice, bright dining room and handed nachos and salsa to start with. The nacho and salsa was really tasty, I love fresh chips and salsa, these did not disappoint. I started with a strawberry daiquiri and ordered the mole enchiladas. My drink was prepared quickly and I have to say it was amazing. Hands down the best daiquiri I've had in my entire life. I think they might even make the strawberry base in house. It was amazing. The waitress suggested I try the mole sauce before committing to anything because it was a really unique flavour. Awesome! I totally appreciated that. The flavor was indeed really unique, it was chocolately and sweeter than I thought it would be, but still yummy. After I had that daiquiri I decided I wanted to try the pina colada. The pina colada was also amazing, lots of alcohol and again it tasted very homemade! My food was finished quickly and they gave me a generous portion of rice, beans, and 3 big enchiladas. My rice and beans were perfect, and the enchiladas were really good too. I ordered 1 cheese enchilada and 2 chicken. I much preferred the cheese to the chicken. I think my only complaint about the entire dining experience was that I think the chicken was underseasoned. It didn't really have much flavour. I did not finish my enchiladas because I was so full I felt like exploding. With 2 drinks and an entree my total was $38, tip included. Not bad! I'll be back even if its just for drinks. Psst... I think this is the best Mexican in the city, and I'm going to be lynched for this or something but I much preferred it to Ahora. read more

Patio + Jumbo Margaritas + Chimichangas = Pancho Villa I frequented this place so much last summer, that they should've just charged me rent. The patio area is a great place to laze in the summer heat with friends, while idly sipping a margarita. Ooh, I'm getting an icecream headache thinking about it. The food is always very good, but can be oily at times. Portions are large and you always leave full. Prices are medium range with mains starting at around $10. Darn, now I'm craving a chimichanga... read more

I've been eating here for 17 years and they have "hands down" the BEST Mexican food in Ottawa. Plates arrive hot, food is plentiful and flavourful and the staff are amazing and attentive (which is why I keep going back). They raised prices once (I think in 1999) but they're still the cheapest night out for me. I really can't say enough about this restaurant and concur with comments about the best time to go is in the summer, but the food is excellent no matter why time of day/year you stop in. read more

Went here for an early dinner because El Camino wasn't open yet. Boring generic tex mex, snooty service and they charge for soda refills. Won't be back, should've waited for El Camino. read more

One of the worst dining experience for me. If you can't tolerate cilantro because you have a genetic issue that makes it taste like soap, AVOID THIS PLACE FOR THEY WILL STILL PUT SOME IN IT. They also have very little gluten free options. I went on a quiet afternoon to order a salad, and I asked for no cilantro, but the waitress insisted that there was going to be a bit of cilantro in it, in fact, in every dish, so I insisted that no, for me it tasted like soap, and that even a small amount would ruin the dish, even if I took it out after because cilantro is effing strong. She went to another waiter who gave me a death stare from afar, then she went to the kitchen to ask the cooks. She came back telling me that there was going to be cilantro in my dish, so I asked her "How hard is it to just NOT put the cilantro in it?" to what she kept repeating "I'm sorry there's going to be cilantro in it". I ordered a drink, I paid for it, and I left without leaving a tip. I live a street close to Pancho Villa, and this man with grey hair terrifies me every time I go nearby. I thought the customer was king, well there hell no. Never again and not recommending it to anyone. read more

I am forever on the lookout for a Mexican restaurant that even vaguely reminds me of my hometown in Southern California. This wasn't it, *however* it gets bumped up from what would have been three-stars (the food was alright) courtesy of their tequila menu. There's even an explanation of each type at the front of it so you can act like you know what you're doing. Also helping to take it beyond just average was the guacamole. It tasted wonderful, and had a bit of texture without chunks of anything or cilantro overload. The staff is nice and efficient, which was especially amazing if you consider that I went on a night when it was packed. I'm looking forward to spending many warm days on the patio going through their entire tequila menu and eating chips with guacamole. read more

My girlfriend and I had the enchiladas, and to be frank, they were pretty disgusting. We couldn't finish it, nearly everything tasted old and soggy. The salad was okay. The servers were very nice and polite. Would not recommend. read more

My sister and I decided to have apps and a drink here before heading to tulip festival. We were happy about the patio and the location, and the serving staff were wonderful -but this could not justify how terrible the food was. The beef taco tasted like mystery meat (plus the side salad had no dressing) and the quesadilla's were a very small portion for the price and were beyond simple. Perhaps we were just unlucky, but this was a very dissatisfying experience. We will not be eating here again. read more

Pancho Villa - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Delicious fresh food. There is a little bit of everything whether your looking for tacos, burritos, nachos, and etc. The service was awesome my water was always refilled quickly. I ordered the chicken tacos and the meat was well seasoned and tender. Would definitely come back! read more

Pancho Villa - Chicken Tacos with sode salad - Mexican Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Their food is sub par, however I have to say they have some FANTASTIC drinks, their margaritas are actually delicious and huge! Great alternative for happy hour with coworkers. If it's food you're looking for I would instead recommend other Mexican joints like Nacho Cartel food truck, El Camino in Elgin, or Bonita in the east! read more

What a lovely place to come on a summer night! The patio had a great atmosphere. Margaritas were delicious, and the service was excellent. The food was fantastic, especially the mole sauce. Definitely will be returning! read more

DO NOT plan a dinner here. Management is incredibly disorganized. Made a reservation here for a group dinner two weeks in advance and the owner provided a set menu. Called 5 days in a row just to get an invoice. 30 min before the dinner they told me I had no reservation. It was chaos, 25 people showed up and the owner screwed himself out of a 600$ check. PRO TIP to the owner: If someone calls and says "I'd like to make a reservation for x date and time with x number of people" then calls you 5 times referencing that reservation they will assume that they have a reservation. If you are still unclear you need to find a new profession. Congrats on loosing 600$ and being black listed from all future events with our company. read more

First thing's first: good, strong sangria. Tons of tasty options to choose from but my go-to meal is tamales. Yummmm! Plus chips and salsa that are so good, they'll disappear before you realize it. read more

On Aug 27th, my friend and I sat outside on the patio and ordered our food and drinks. Drinks were served and while we were waiting for our food, a multitude of wasps descended on our table (and for pretty much the whole meal we were swatting them away). One of the wasps landed in my Mucho Grande-sized blended drink and started swimming around in it. The waitress asked if I wanted her to scoop it out. I responded that I did not want that, that I would prefer a fresh drink with no bugs in it. Since I already drank about an inch of the large drink, I told her that a regular sized one would suffice. The owner then came to our table and said that since it wasn't their fault that there were wasps, that if I wanted a new drink, that I would have to pay for it, otherwise they would scoop the wasp out and give me my old drink back- yuck! I said I would just stick with the table water. Then more salsa was brought to the table. Before we even tried it, I notice a soggy sodden tortilla chip sticking out of the middle of it. The owner came by again and I told her that someone else's chip was in our salsa (during Covid no less). She said that the salsa was made fresh every day and they don't recycle it (that coming from someone who just wanted to "scoop" my bug out!!). Later, I guess she felt bad or was embarrassed, and offered to replace the drink free of charge, but it would be the small one I had previously requested. When it came, there was no alcohol in it and it tasted like blended ice. My friend was mortified about the service, since she was the one who recommended the restaurant. By the way, we asked about the wasp problem and the owner said that she wasn't going to put poison out and it was up to us to cover our drinks (there are multiple non-poisonous wasps traps available). Talking to others, we were not the only table surrounded by wasps. I guarantee that we will never be going there again. read more

Loved their tamales and pina coladas! Wasn't crazy about their sangria and salsa though. Laid back atmosphere, good wait staff and quick service. Huge portions...enough to share if you're not too hungry. Their combo plate of taco, boritto and enchalada is really good, great value and very generous portions! read more

I'm a fan - I don't know a lot about mexican but I liked this. I had the molé burritos, and we shared some great nachos. The service was good, except no chips/salsa on walking in (we were all girls, maybe it's just guys who are seen as "eaters.) I've only ever been on the patio so can't comment on the inside/decor/cleanliness, but the burritos were yummy. read more

Every thing I have had here is very good. The only Mexican food I have found in Ottawa worth eating. And, they have Negro Modelo! Nice patio in the summer, good atmosphere in the bar or inside tables. Can't go wrong. Ask for the hot sauce. It's literally chopped up jalapenos in some sauce. Very tasty, very spicy. read more