*Lovely space for a casual night out or bringing out of town business guests... indoor, outdoor space including a room that gives a library- cellar vibe ( not sure what I mean? check it out for yourself ) * Attentive service *Highly recommend everything on the menu... but my favorite is always the Esquites (corn with all kinds of delicious)... I could have it as a meal with their tasty tortilla chips *The tacos are small but full of flavor- recommend getting the Taco Entrada that comes with rice and beans *They have a decent happy hour *Paid parking lots nearby... or if you are lucky you can get street parking which also costs unless it's later in the night or on Sundays read more

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Authentic Mexico City flavors right in the heart of downtown Tucson. This spot has an awesome atmosphere for hanging out with friends, enjoying handcrafted cocktails, and trying elevated street-style tacos with a modern twist. The vibe is energetic but still relaxed, making it perfect for a casual night out or weekend dinner. The standout for me was definitely the shrimp taco. The grilled shrimp were perfectly cooked with a great smoky flavor, and the sauce tied everything together with just the right balance of heat and freshness. Paired with the warm, fresh tortilla, every bite was incredible. You can tell they put real attention into the ingredients and presentation. The craft cocktails were also impressive and complemented the food really well. Cheers! read more

Penca - 2 shrimp, 1 fish, and 1 carne asada tacos al la carte - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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We visited Penca last night and overall had a really great experience. The food was delicious and the service was excellent from start to finish. We started with the chips and salsa trio and the small chicharrones everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. My husband ordered the NY steak and we were genuinely surprised by how huge it was amazing portion size and cooked beautifully. I had two tacos (one carne asada and one carnitas), and both were incredibly tasty. The restaurant itself has a very romantic vibe with beautiful lighting, but unfortunately our table placement wasn't ideal. We were seated in a corner near storage and a service area, with servers and kitchen staff walking in and out, which took away from the ambiance a bit. Drinks were good my husband had a beer and I had a mezcalita though they were definitely strong (we both woke up with a bit of a hangover which its unusual for us). Overall, fantastic food and service. I'd absolutely come back and would just hope for a better table next time. read more

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I always forget the name of this restaurant because it doesn't have a big sign or lit sign outside but as my second time eating here, I google the Mexican restaurant downtown on broadway lol. I love the dim intimate atmosphere. The service is always 100 percent. Very friendly and always checking up on the table and removing finished dishes to keep table clean. This was my second time eating here and their cocktails are deliciously well crafted and unique. The guacamole and the 3 salsas are very tasty especially the green salsa that's tangy, it mixes well with the guacamole. Last time we just had tacos and they were delicious but this time I wanted to try something different. The bone marrow was out of this world!! I wish it was a dinosaur marrow cuz I would have honestly made that my meal lol. The chimichurri was on the side was good but it took away from the rich flavor of the fatty marrow. I think a bit of parsley sprinkled on top would have been great instead. Tue crostini bead on the side was a little too toasted where it was kinda hard to bite through and made more of a mess lol. I skipped the bread thereafter. I got the chile relleno which had meat inside along with black beans and corn and rice. looked amazing on top of a bed of rice and covered in white cheese which was perfect and not too much. The only issue I had was that the rice was that puffy/minute rice and I can't stand when Mexican restaurants use that especially nice restaurants when they could just use regular long grain rice and it look and taste better. There's no flavor in that puffy rice and it was a lot of it. Regardless i just ate the chile relleno and i also ordered the fish ceviche which was my favorite from the first visit. Great place for a quiet intimate date night and the bar is available if you just wanna sit and have drinks . Overall i give it 2 Foxxy thumbs up!! read more

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Penca is a cool spot that I don't consider going to often enough. It's dressed up Mexican food from the CDMX area as I understood. Came in with some friends and split some appetizers. The yellow tail special appetizer with corn purée was awesome and the queso was delicious. The place is very cool and dark so it's a great place for date night or a special occasion. The service was good, but our server was MIA for a bit so we had to flag down another person to get help. I definitely need to eat here more often. read more

Penca - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Not sure how this restaurant got on my radar, but we made the trek downtown from Vail to try it as we are always up for Mexican food. It is what my Hispanic husband refers to as 'fancy Mexican food'. The restaurant is very spacious with high ceilings and a nice large outdoor area for seating (not sure if it is pup friendly or not). We made a rez, but it was not necessary for an early dinner on a Thursday. We had a really nice server, Basil, who was attentive and on top of things. We ordered the Guacamole appetizer that came with 3 additional salsas, the NY strip and a fish taco with a cup of their poblano rice. The guacamole was great, as were the salsas... the spiciest one was not too over the top spicy. The chips were really good and seemed freshly made. I enjoyed my fish taco, made with Rock fish and it sat on a nice hearty corn tortilla. I call that out since many time with corn, they are so thin they fall apart. It was very good, the rice was okay and nothing to write home about as they say. My husband enjoyed his steak but he did say, while prepared perfectly, it just lacked a robust flavor (whatever that means). All in all we enjoyed our dinner, it was good. Prices are reflective of the level of restaurant... a smidge high for what you get but honestly with inflation where it is right now I totally get it. I did order a red sangria which was $14 and mostly ice so that was most definitely overpriced given the glass size. read more

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Came for the food, was impressed by the bar program. The mezcal selection was amazing! One of my most memorable experiences in Tuscon!

I can't believe that it has taken us 13 years to discover Penca. My papa and I had the pleasure of a true degustation yesterday We are "Evil Foodies," and took our time with 4 of the Ligares. We had plans to order more, but were perfectly satiated, and still had a few carefully hoarded take away bites. Bone marrow: Wow. Chicharrones: I will never get close to duplicating that delish amber salsa drizzle. The chipotle salsa: SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. We wanted to lick our plates. (OK, so my father did actually lick his plate. No seriously, he picked it up and licked it clean. He's 86 and enjoying life.) Tres Leches in a jar: adorable, but challenging to share. I had to hold the mason jar while he scraped out every molecule of deliciousness. Thanks heavens he doesn't have have a reptilian "Ballistic Tongue." Oh, yeah: the Sangria Blanca. The next time we visit, we won't order a glass or a jar. We will demand a bucket! Our "concierge" of Penca cuisine (I think his name was Matt, the cocktails are that good...) was amazing. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

We came here for date night on a Saturday and we were impressed with the food, vibes, and service. The restaurant instantly transported me to an old hacienda in Mexico. The staff is very attentive and friendly. We didn't wait long for our food and the prices are fair. The food was delicious. I can't remember the name our dishes but my husband had the chile relleno and I had the costillas with hominy. The meat I had was the most tender, juicy, and delicious meat I've had in a while. We also had the chicharrones as an appetizer and it was served with a spicy salsa that tasted homemade which is my favorite. For dessert I had the 3 leches cake and it was the perfect amount of sweetness. We will definitely be coming back for dinner and date night soon. read more

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Pretty expensive for what I would describe as standard, unimpressive Mexican food. The menu was kind of hard to read and I would have appreciated if it had been more clear what dishes were spicy. Both the chicharrones and ceviche were spicy which I was not prepared for and did not appreciate. My favorite part ended up being the jardinero drink which was light and refreshing, but definitely boozy. Service was accommodating when I needed to switch from an outdoor to an indoor table due to the heat. read more

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I've been reading reviews and was eager to try this adorable little restaurant downtown. The vibe is spectacular... Their outdoor patio is adorable even though it is right on Broadway. The service was phenomenal, the Mescalita margarita was yummy and the guacamole and chips was also fantastic. The mains however, we're a little disappointing. We had heard so much hype, I was expecting a phenomenal meal, but it was so so. We had the chile relleno and several tacos... None of which was anything to write home about. Not bad, but not worth the hype. We did enjoy their homemade churros at the end of our meal, which were delightful. I'll probably give this place another shot, but on my first visit it didn't live up to expectations. read more

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I came back for dinner on Saturday night with a different group, and the fish was much better this time. The seared market fish was delicious--I loved everything about it. Since it's an expensive dish, I do wish the portion of Mahi Mahi had been larger. The carne asada, pescado, and rajas y papas tacos were all tasty, though two of them were quite spicy. The tacos themselves are very small. The chips and guacamole were too salty. I didn't like the white sangria at all--it had an odd buttery taste. On the upside, I really enjoyed the Jardinero cocktail this time, and the jicama was just as smooth and smoky as before. read more

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The ambiance was perfect. Great date night in downtown. Vegan & Gluten free options . I will be a repeat customer for sure . read more

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Went to Penca twice last week - first to preview for out of town guests and second time to take these guests. Everything was excellent. First night server, Ivanna, was very gracious and helpful in discussing options. Very knowledgeable about menu and preparation. Second night, Matt, showed this was no fluke. He was just as outstanding as Ivanna. Food was great from appetizers through main course. With our focus on appetizers, it was a nice option to be able to pick a couple of very interesting and tasty tacos instead of a large full entree. Rustic brick, concrete, steel industrial ambiance. Might have stayed for another cocktail if steel seats had a cushion. Overall, great experience at a great restaurant. Will be back! read more

We had a nice time at pence. It makes an impression as you walk up, under the Mexican flags and the hostess greets you on the side walk. We had a reservation and they put us at a lovely corner table against the window. It was perfect. Our server was extremely helpful and friendly, although it felt like he checked in with us a bit too often to see how things were and it chat in general. The drinks were really good. Unique flavor profile. The food was mixed for me. Chips & salsa come complimentary. We ordered queso to go with it but I didn't love it. It wasn't very dip-able. More like quesadilla cheese that was melted and I had to cut to put in my tortilla. I ordered the short rib with goat cheese hominy which was just so big and bold and after 1/4 of the dish I was tired of it and wish I ordered something else. Overall, pleasant time but wish I had different food choices. I'm glad we went but I probably wouldn't come back. read more

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We were downtown for a show at Arizona Theatre Company and decided to grab a bite at Penca first. Since we planned on appetizers, we sat at the bar. I ordered guacamole and esquites, which turned out to be a meal! Penca serves their corn tortilla chips with several fresh salsas, and I enjoyed trying different mixtures of guac and salsa, guac and esquites, and esquites and salsa. My partner ordered pozole blanco, which also was meal-sized. He enjoyed it and also tried the different salsas with chips. When we arrived, we were the only ones at the bar, and we received attentive service while we were there. The space has a blend of wood and metal finishes for a modern, sophisticated look. We'll go to Penca again when we're downtown for another show. read more

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Wow, five stars, Penca! The yummiest, freshest ingredients paired with skill and ambiance creates a phenomenal dinner experience. Our server was a delight and the drinks came out perfect, I favored the gin cocktail. This is downtown Tucsons gem for a belly warming romantic date or business meeting at the bar for drinks. read more

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I ordered one appetizer Bone Marrow - it was really good. ( you need to acquire the taste and know how to enjoy it LoL- but first - Tate the top part with a spoon and let the salt touch your paladar fist then en hoy by small portions. Both pieces were deliciosos ) know that this is an appetizer so one bone will bring 4 small spoons ). Entry : chile relleno : flavor/taste was good. Salsa was good ( too much salsa for my taste but that's easy just to move over to the side ) meat was good - soft and good Taste. Chile cover was to thin for my taste. I like to taste the Chile - green outer part - and combine with the inside. But overall it was good. Dessert: churros - well! For me taste those were not the bomb flavor that I was expecting on my mouth BUT putting that aside- I focus on the taste and texture and it was good with the caramel and chocolate. I will say - if you have a pre conception of flavor then remove that and be open to try a new flavor and texture for this churros. Overall those are good but you need to acquire the taste. Ambiance is good and service was excellent t for my experience. 20% service charge was match. Drink : i tried lemonade. Same as churro review. $$$ above was below $80s for one person read more

Penca - Bone - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I came here with a friend for Sonoran restaurant week a couple weeks ago and we decided to try the fixed menu. The evening started off really well with friendly service and a nice quiet atmosphere for dinner. Their outdoor patio seating is nice. We got complimentary chips and salsa, which were great. The chips weren't overly salty and the salsa had a nice flavor. The starter for the restaurant week menu was roasted carrots on cashew crema, and it was not like anything I've had before. The carrots were sweet and a mix of soft and crunch. The crema added a really nice flavor, so the dish as a whole worked really well and was probably my favorite! I chose the salad next, which was a mixed organic greens salad with an assortment of nuts and seeds. It had a hunk of a corn on the cob that was a strange addition to the salad. It seemed to be more for garnish. I didn't love the salad and didn't finish it. My friend and I both ordered the coconut poached sea bass, but there was a mixup with our orders and they forgot to make our entrees initially, so we ended up waiting over an hour and a half for our entrees! That was frustrating, but when we did finally get our sea basses, they were alright. The menu said it came with calabacitas, but it was more garnish-looking. The size of the sea bass was pretty large so it was a lot of food. It was not my favorite part of the meal, but by this point I just wanted some food! I finished the meal with the churro dessert. It came with two dipping sauces, the chocolate one I didn't like. But the churros themselves were fresh, hot, and crisp, when were great. It was a nice way to end the meal. Overall, I think this was a good restaurant week menu. The mixup with the entrees was disappointing, but it was a lot of food, and I think a good value for the $55 price. read more

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Penca has a European feel ambiance and is I'm the heart of downtown tucson. Has a nice open feel and seating outdoors. Lovvvveeee the hongo and tocino tacos (bacon and mushroom). Such a good combination. Perk: complimentary chips and salsa read more

Penca - Mesquite, lengua taco, hongo y tocino taco - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food is amazing. The ambience is perfect and Matt the server is attentive, funny and not obtrusive. It's a perfect combination and as a single individual, I always feel welcomed. read more

Best chili relleno anywhere. Awesome salsa. Really interesting list of wines by the glass. Excellent service

Best bartender, best drinks in downtown Tucson. The menu has both meats and fish. I guess the tacos are the best thing read more

Penca - Short Ribs. Excellent!! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I wanted to like this place, but neither the food, the price nor the service were satisfactory. I can see this place as for a romantic date night spot, but it was so dark inside I needed to turn on my phone flashlight to know what I'm eating. I usually consider myself someone who has an adventurous palate. But I didn't enjoy the 2 entrees we ordered. Pescale en Mole Verde- the mole sauce smelt and tasted weird to me. To be fair, my friend said she liked the sauce. The fish didn't seem to be seared, at least not the skin side. The oyster mushroom was the best part of this dish. Definitely not worth $33. Costilla de Res - short-rib is alright, but the ancho sauce was sour and did not add to this dish. Hominy with goat cheese is a good idea. Esquites - this was my favorite dish of the night. Sweet corn with cojito, pickled onion, and pieces of serrano were a pleasant surprise. Service was another let-down. We were seated at the counter, which gave us a good view of the kitchen. We waited for quite a while to order, and waited for another 20 minutes after we said no dessert to get the check. read more

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I had high expectations of this place. I was really underwhelmed with the flavors. The empanadas were lacking filling so the majority of the flavor was from the pastry. The pastry was good, but I really wanted to enjoy the filling and it was hard to given how little filling they had. I also tried the grilled fish taco. The homemade tortilla was really amazing - probably the best I've ever had. However the fish had no seasoning which made the taco very bland. I did love the side of grilled cactus and onions - that was the best thing I ate. I also really enjoyed their house salsas. It's a very nice restaurant with fast service and friendly wait staff. I love the vibe. I'd like to go back and try other menu items to hopefully find a flavorful experience. read more

Penca - Empanadas- they are $3 each during happy hour. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The food was delicious. I ordered the NY strip medium, it came out perfect, tender and flavorful! My partner ordered the short rib, equally good! I would definitely recommend. Service was great. Very nice ambiance, intimate type of setting. read more

Penca - Grilled NY strip - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Absolutely amazing. Went for Mother's Day and it did not disappoint. Food and dessert were amazing. Although I have been here several times this was my absolute favorite of all. Compliments to the chef. read more

Penca - Mother's Day sea bass special- amazing - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Fish entree was bad. Tiny portion, flavorless, and $40 for that dish? Crazy. And it took a long time even though the restaurant was not busy. I think they forgot us for a while. The posole was good. The staff seems focused on talking to each other and the people at the bar that they knew (maybe off duty staff?) the place is cute but tables and sitting are tight. overall not a good experience. I won't be back. Many better options downtown read more

This restaurant is located downtown and 1. Has a cool vibe; love their decor! 2. Service was friendly and competent. Menu is limited and definitely what you would consider modern Mexican. We ordered iced teas and they come in a very small glass. Refills, we would later realize, are NOT included. They charge $2.50 for refills! Our waitress had to continually refill them because after a few sips, they were empty again. Not a fan! We ordered guacamole and it came with 3 salsas. Green salsa was vinegar-forward, and not very flavorful after. Red chipotle salsa was good, but nothing extraordinary. We didn't try the salsa fresca, but it did look fresh. Next, we ordered their bone marrow appetizer and I really enjoyed that. I also tried a bite of my husband's carnitas taco and it was WAAAAY too salty. Carne asada tacos are just okay, too. The asada is big chunks and taste like they are grilled on an open fire which is a good start, but the salsa on top needs to be a bit more flavorful. Overall, I might return only to try a cocktail because I did like the service and the vibe! read more

I had mix feelings with my experience. We sat at the bar and our bartender was inattentive, and left us flagging a server down a few times. We were not given chips until we ordered food, which I understand if you are just there for drinks but we had menus and our bartender could have asked us if we were eating before waiting 20 minutes later - after taking our order. Our drinks were yummy but small. The guac came pre-mixed, for the price again I expected fresh and customizable. As for the food, it was good but I didn't feel it was worth the price. I had the vegan chile rellano and a shroom taco. The rellano was smothered in sauce and I thought it was a bit strange that they put whole walnuts in the mixture and didn't grind it up. It felt very segmented. Overall it was an OK experience, I'm just not sure it was worth the price. My out-of-town guest did like her food. read more

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The food was so yummy! I don't know what they put in the guacamole but OMG! And the green salsa? Devoured it! My carne asada taco was incredible. And the vegan chile relleno was spot on. Our server was accommodating. The only thing I didn't like was the very dim lighting. You couldn't see the menus! read more

Average food in a beautiful atmosphere with below average service. More than we wanted to pay for the amount of food we got. We came for happy hour, but they didn't even have a happy hour menu. The waiter (who was not very friendly or enthusiastic) told us the deals "off the top of his head" and FYI the drinks are all $2 off and food choices are limited. That being said, I recommend the taquitos and trying all three kinds - short rib, turkey, and potato. And chili relleno with pork. read more

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Not our first time here and we've typically enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. This time neither was enjoyable. Bartender was completely indifferent and unfortunately served up mediocre cocktails with her side eye. Sitting at the bar, every word we spoke was listened to and observed by the kid washing and drying glassware. Creepy and unnecessary. $70 for 4 street tacos and a couple of drinks served up with attitude is excessive-especially these days. read more

Penca - Fabulous Tempranillo - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Nice find in walk distance to parking garage and music hall. The food was amazing. Bone marrow appetizer was delicious and not something you would find everywhere. We ordered the pork chops and ribs. So good... the sauces were delicious like bourbon raisins in one and the chocolate in the mole sauce. Service was excellent. Nice bar to eat at too. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. read more

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We had a nice meal at penca before seeing a show. Started off with a limeade and a wonderful cocktail which contained Mezcal and orange bitters. It was divine and a bit smokey. The service was very prompt and we finished more quickly than we expected. We had the Esquite corn appetizer which was good . We had a pulled pork chile relleno and a vegetarian chili relleno for our entrees as well as the nopales as a side. The vegetarian chili relleno was excellent. Very flavorful sauce. The pork Relleno had a nice red sauce and the meat was tender. One of the major hits of the evening was the homemade corn chips and the salsa was delicious. Luckily we had a table inside since it was busy. I love the way they decorate the outside with lights. They were very nice to the people outside bringing everyone blankets. read more

Penca - Jacaima cocktail - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food was good and inventive. Carefully prepared and stylish but not overwrought. Interesting agave spirits selection. Ambiance really nice. Pretty good value for the money. I would definitely go back fir another meal. read more

Random choice for dinner...and boy were we happy from beginning to the end of our meal! Started outside in patio that was very romantic and perfect on an October night! Progressed to inside in a door romantic space with a perfect view of the kitchen and bar! Started with appetizers: guacamole with at least fours salas! Each salsa was pleasing with its on flavor. Progressed to ceviche with fresh fish! The flavor was spot on. For entree we had Chile rellenos that came with its great favorable sauce! For refreshments: plenty of great drinks! The margaritas were spot on and fresh! Not sweet but perfectly tart! Restaurant also has array of sangria from sweet to tart! Blanco was perfectly balanced ! If your're looking for a perfectly relaxed romantic restaurant with lots of flavor, then this is your spot! read more

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Very disappointing. The food and service were were terrible. My food had to be remade THREE times and in the end, it still tasted awful. The potatoes were undercooked and their crema (of which I barely got any) tasted like watery sour cream. The waitress actually used her cellphone light to inspect my food, too, because the lighting was so dim. That was awakened.. My friend's food also contained undercooked potatoes and was overly salted. When she told the waitress, the waitress didn't want to have it remade because she said it would take too long. Due to all the order issues, the gluten-free person at our table barely ate her meal because she worried about getting sick if her order was wrong too. When we finally got the check, the waitress informed us there was automatically 20% gratuity because we were a group of six. Must be nice to get an automatic tip when the food and service was awful. Sad part was that we were celebrating a graduation and the place basically ruined the night. read more

10/10 Ambiance Taco de cabeza was delish & my bf enjoyed the Al pastor taco! For a more in depth review follow my food insta @comerconsteph read more

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Really great experience. Got right in, service was friendly and timely. Good and drinks were excellent. We'll be back.