I love Penca!!!! I think ill just cut and paste that frase so this can be a review and not a tip but its the truth this place has the most delicious tacos, made with the most delicious tortillas ive ever had so good and authentic. Oh and those drinks all the way from a sangria to an awesome tepache. Make sure you check this place out read more

I really wanted to like this place. Unfortunately we just weren't impressed at all. Their beer was limited to two choices on tap and three lesser known bottle options. For food we ordered chile relleno and turkey and carnitas tacos. Overalls the food was just bland. The Chile relleno had no cheese, was not battered, had basically mushroom only in it and was covered with unseasoned tomato paste. The tacos were also bland, the tortillas were more like masa pancakes. They fell apart, had no seasoning and were generally just not good. I hope this place gets better as they are supporting downtown and we would love to see them succeed. read more

I felt safe eating here inside-during Covid. The margaritas were to die for! Wish we ordered the jar for 4 from the beginning! The ceviche was very tasty. Loved the tacos-especially the flavors in the poblano taco. Our meal ended with the chocolate torte-great kick with spices! read more

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Loved the outdoor vibe and I had a heat lamp behind me as the night cooled off. Do yourself a favor and get the ceviche!! The portion is large and I'd go back for that alone! For my meal, I had the short rib with polenta which initially came out with cold polenta but it was quickly fixed and I really enjoyed it. I have no idea what seasoning was on the cauliflower in my meal but it was especially tasty. Finally, our server was great (wish I recalled her name). read more

The atmosphere is on-point and I often find myself headed this direction for a workday lunch. This is a great place in central downtown where all can enjoy the house chips and salsa. The service is hit or miss. The food could occasionally benefit from some additional salt. I most recommend the tacos (corn tortillas made to order), el tazon, and the house margarita. read more

We went there and it was hard to find because they don't have a sign with the restaurant name. They are way overpriced for the amount of food you get. The customer service was good but it's still not worth going there and I know we won't be back and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. read more

Great place for cocktails or dinner. Great patio and also a great ambience inside the restaurant. Highly recommend the Bourbon & Tepache cocktail, one of the best drinks I've ever had! Staff was great and very cool atmosphere. read more

Had a delicious bourbon cocktail with pineapple. Enjoyed the fresh salsas with gauc. The chips were crisp and thick, just the way I like them. I opted for one carnitas and one pastor taco with rice and beans. The tacos came with fresh slices of jalapenos and pickled carrot slice. Everything was delicious. read more

Loved the decor! Kinda weird experience a few weeks ago. Not sure if the bartender was the only one working the front. He seated us, then came back with waters, then drinks, then we ordered...I was ready to place the order but he never asked & kept making separate trips. I had the torta desayuno with pulled pork, egg, avocado & queso fresco. My son tried a quesadilla and tostada. Seems like an American attempt at fancier Mexican food. I'm okay with a little hole in the wall Mexican place. It was okay, service wasn't great, but it's a nice atmosphere. read more

Penca - Hirchata, quesadilla, tostada, torta.... - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Honestly, disappointed. Both chiles rellenos came out cold. They said that is how it is meant to come out - lukewarm. Nasty. My lime drink had a few drops of lime juice in the entire drink. Pretty low on flavor. Overpriced and we were both unimpressed. read more

Penca has a really adorable and homey ambiance and feel to it. I do adore the unmarked entrance which makes it feel a little more exclusive and unique. The menu is simple and clean with the basics. I ordered the two taco plate with the nopales and pescado tacos. Both were really delicious. My main beef was with the rice. Half of my rice still had an undercooked starchy core. No bueno. Perhaps it was an off day for them, so I am only docking 1 star. I will certainly give it another shot when I am in the area. read more

The street corn was incredible! The chips and salsa were wonderful. I had never had goat before and it was sensational! We will definitely be back! It is a bit pricey but worth it. read more

An unmarked, sleek, dark restaurant, it has a mysterious vibe. The drinks were strong and the food was yummy. The service was a bit on the slow side, and the chip bowl was often empty. Party foul! Refills, check, everything kind of moved slowly. Server also didn't really know much about bourbon/whiskey or what the bar carried. Maybe new? But surrounded by friends engaged in good conversation, I barely noticed. Hello, chicharrones, guac, and tacos! I liked that you could pick two different tacos with your order, which is what I did. 4-star food. I really loved the flavors, and it was a memorable meal in terms of food. COME FOR THE FOOD. 2.5-star service. Either get bigger chip bowls or keep them full! Meh. 3-star average review overall, but it would have been 4-star minus the service. read more

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Hubby is alum from UFA and we were visiting my cousin who is studying at the university and we were looking for an upscale dinner restaurant. Luckily for us we could get a last min reservation eventhough it was the 2nd Sat of the month when there is a local fair in downtown. Loved everything about this place - Drinks:Sonoran Gimlet- magical potion that hits the right notes if you like a tequila based coctail made with finesse. They are strong Bourbourn and Tepache-my whiskey loving hubby couldnt have enough of it ;) Boca Del Rio: need an acquired taste for it,very strong but may not appeal to everyone -Appetizers: Ceviche: Perfect! Complimentary Chips and Salsa- super yumm, know when to stop or you will miss the main course Tacos- Amongst the 5 of us we had Nopalaes, Rajas,Carnitas,Pescado and Lengua- you get 2 types per plate and all of them were delish and well made Main Course:Chile Relano and Chile Nogada- both perfectly presented, served and cooked :) Dessert: OMG, best tres leches ever presented beautifully in a Mason jar..yumm yumm Overall, a memorable family dinner. Can't wait to come back for another meal! read more

Penca - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Always great. Great food, atmosphere and makes me glad to be from Tucson. I recommend this place to all my friends and family that visit.

I was super excited about Penca ever since reading about it in Zocalo magazine. A restaurant with the potential to give Poca Cosa a run for their money?? GASP! I feel like those trash magazines that try to make up feuds between celebrities. Was Hathaway peeved at Seyfried for her choice of Oscar wear or not?! Well, this doesn't matter much I suppose since I don't think Poca Cosa needs to worry. This brings me to my review: I did not like the food at Penca. I LOVE how much downtown Tucson is growing and I fully want to support everything new that pops us (which seems to happen at an almost alarming rate). However, I cannot get behind this place. My pozole was hands down bad. Probably the worst pozole or soup I have had, actually. My godmother in San Luis Potosi makes this pozole that is magical. Yeah, snicker all you want but you haven't tried it. It's that good. Mainly, it has taught me that pozole is a complex soup that is not easy to make. Long story short- Penca's pozole was flat and too heavy on the hominy. If Penca wants to do a turkey based pozole, I would recommend using heavier spices (as the broth is not depending on fatty meat like beef or pork for flavor). The tacos were good, albeit a bit on the pricy side.I cannot help but think that the taco plate, with the fresh tortillas and vegetables sides, strongly resembles the taco plates at Taqueria Pico de Gallo. However, Penca's rendition is pricier and nowhere near as tasty. My last gripes: the horchata and chicharrones. The horchata comes served in A LOT of ice (i.e. you get very little of it). Come on, horchata is basically rice water. How can you get away with charging so much for so little? And the chicharrones are exactly like the bagged Baken-ets pork rinds you can find in 7-11. Why would I pay for this stuff at a restaurant? In Mexico, the chicharrones that are served at restaurants and eateries have meat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicharr%C3%B3n. Style over substance is the major theme here. The interiors are gorgeous. I'm digging the Mexican movie poster with Maria Felix. And similar to my review of The Hub, I don't feel like my bad review will hurt this hoppin' spot in downtown Tucson-it always looks busy and patronage doesn't seem to be a problem. With that, I try to erase the guilt of my harsh review of Penca. read more

Penca - Chicharrones - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Location: Located on Broadway in Downtown Tucson The Skinny: Great Atmosphere and excellent food but service was a little slow at the beginning. Don't let that keep you from going though because the food is excellent. The Restaurant: The restaurant was situated directly off Broadway with excellent views of the road and great for people watching. Their drinks on their menu were ones that I was not familiar with but I did take a a chance and it was something I did not regret. Ended up ordering the Taco Platter and found that the Carne Asada was the best out of the two (the other was Carnitas). The next time I will be going I will try their Fish Tacos. Their Guac appetizer was on point and came with a green salsa and a Pico type in three bowls. Their chips were also very tasty Overall: Not only a great date type restaurant but one that would serve well as a great happy hour. This did not seem like a kid friendly place so I would limit it to just adults. Tip: Get the Guac appetizer. Excellent. The Kids Review: Didn't go! read more

Penca - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This place is the best! My wife and I absolutely love it! The food is great, as is the service. We have been coming here for years and recommend it to everyone we meet! read more

Industrial loft style eatery with Mexican food- sounds perfect in theory. Date night for me & the mr we love to pub crawl and try 1 dish at 3 or 4 spots. We head in & try to find bar seating. The staff sees us meandering and a young man says the first 2 seater next to the hostess stand is reserved. He says the rail is the only area available and they don't serve food there. A minute later a sweet blonde, who ends ups being our server seats us at that "reserved" table... Ok? The cocktails appear authentic and we enjoyed them overall though I can't recall which we had. The grilled Elote was ok but a little stingy. Only one seasoned side of goodies. The carne asada 2 taco plate was decent but no wow moment. The best thing going at this spot is the decor and the chips & salsa. My last pet peeve comes to cleanliness which the chunky plank tables look nice but have chips lodged In-between the boards. read more

Penca - Cool decor - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It's probably not a good thing when the highlight of your meal is the chips and salsa. To be fair, Penca's take on this most standard of Mexican restaurant freebies are quite possibly the best version I have ever had the pleasure to put in my mouth. The chips are thick and hearty, warm. You can tell they're made fresh in house with a lot of care. The salsa is thick, smooth and spicy. For serious, the best chips and salsa ever. It's just a shame that nothing else stood up. I ordered the tacos (an order of 2) for lunch, and opted for the lengua and cabeza varieties. On the side I went with rice and black beans. The wait was short, and once they came out, I noticed two things: the plating was beautiful, and the portions were TINY! These were 2-3 bite tacos. I will say that the flavors were quite good, and once again the tortillas were phenomenal, but these were like baby appetizer portion tacos, not a meal. I should mention the rice and beans, specifically how woefully bland they were. I'm talking 'old folks' home" bland. I loaded them up with salt because I wanted my food to have SOME sort of flavor, and that was the only one at my disposal. They were a major disappointment. Since the portion size was ample, the were like a mirror image of the tacos. I did have a cocktail, a delicious concoction made with a strawberry infused mezcal. It was thoughtful and well crafted and made me wish that I could stick around and try their other drinks. I know they do a happy hour, and wonder if their craft cocktails are on the list. If so, then that'd definitely be a reason to visit Penca. But the food alone just isn't. Gorgeous interior and an attractive, stylish staff. It's a shame, this place has all the trappings of a great restaurant, but for me just didn't live up to the hype. read more

Penca - Taco duo (lengua & cabeza) with rice and beans. Beautiful bit smallish portion - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Great options and always tasty. Guacamole is great and all the tacos are worth trying. Mezcal cocktails go with everything. Attentive staff and cool atmosphere. read more

Penca has had some time to settle in and time was in its side. With little (but important) details: the Salsa is spicy, the service is beyond attentive, friendly and timely. The food has ways been decent, but it's grown up. It's now properly seasoned, nicely plated and portioned. I've always been a fan of the interior. The place is cozy and a great neighborhoof joint any day of the week. The spirits and wine list are the real super stars here. The Rose sangria is out of this world- the best I've ever had. SERIOUSLY. While I don't come here for an epic meal, I most certainly enjoy their thoughtfully craft cocktails and wine list. Pair that with a small bite, and you're set! read more

Very cool looking restaurant and had higher expectations for the food. They delivered my tacos appetizer with my main meal which was unfortunate. The corn soft tacos were weirdly slimy, thick and undercooked. I ended up just eating the filling and leaving the tortilla. I got the pork with the fruit sauce, which was the house specialty and the sauce was nice, but the pork was dry and tough. So not sure i'll be back, probably try another place next time. read more

Just delightful! From the interior atmosphere to the excellent service! And let me tell you...the food is amazing! Authentic Mexican! Cocktails and sipping flights were perfect too! read more

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Penca...The meaning of which is a literally a double entendre. I do speak Spanish, but I'd never heard 'Penca' used before (so I had to look it up). I am guessing by the multiple meanings- one of which is "the spiny broad leaves of the agave plant that were used by early Indians as needles and paper." The other of which- cannot be mentioned in this rated "G" review. My guess is that the place is going for an artistic edginess that may be lost on many, but on the few who get it, I say- way to bring it! I'm all for avante garde, and truth be told, we could really use some new creative/clever/ingenious places to imbibe and enjoy in the (sometimes not so) exciting "Old Pueblo." For a place that just opened- mind you they don't even have a sign marking the restaurant by name, I'd say they are doing pretty well, and they've got their groove on... I went with a fellow yelp buddy for lunch today, and we both ordered tacos. The tacos were minimalistic, yet succinct and flavorful (I had one carnitas and one carne asada), dining friend had two carne asada. You can choose a taco plate with two sides for $10. If they care to have feedback, I think that the plate should come with three tacos, cuz these are minuscule "street tacos" that would be three for $1 sold on the street in Mexico. We shared a churros dessert that had a delicious chocolate dipping sauce, with a tinge of chile flavor. The food was great, but the sangria was probably the best thing! I just had a sample because I had to go back to work, but my lucky friend got a whole glass to enjoy. We heard that they have a happy hour from 3-6 PM Monday through Friday. The modern/ contemporary/farm house/restoration hardware style decor presents a a trendy, hipster vibe that would be right at home in Portland, OR or Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Penca should fit right in with the new and vibrant dining scene that is taking shape in downtown Tucson. I'll definitely be back (when I don't have to go back to work) and can savor a succulent sangria, Penca style! read more

Penca - Jennifer's sangria! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Penca has a lot going on. The ambiance is rustic and romantic. The wine list is respectable. The food offerings are enticing. The bartenders know what's what. It's fair to say that for a soft opening, Penca has done pretty well to convince me to be a regular. As far as food goes, I was disappointed that most of the things I wanted to try were out of stock, and I was not wowed by my chile relleno, which was lacking cheese. However, on my third visit, while sitting at the bar and talking with the staff, I learned that they had been busier than expected the first couple nights and had been short on a lot of food items, including cheese. Everyone so far agrees, however, that they love the tacos, and the fresh chips and homemade salsas. I look forward to being able to update my review later with better information about their food offerings. While Penca is still working out the kinks in their food menu, and the wait staff is becoming more experienced, I am already a fan of the bar side of things. Luke and Brian are both very knowledgeable, and were eager to make sure that I selected a wine or cocktail that I would like on all three occasions. While I was not a fan of the gin cocktail, I am a fan of their old world dominant wine list and suggest trying a sherry from their dessert list for something different. read more

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Chic trendy Mexican restaurant! This place is a little hard to find as there is no sign outside that says Penca. 1. The Food: This place is super chic and the food is pretty good. The tacos are good, they made the taco shell home made which makes the tacos pretty unique. The ceviche is also delicious, not the best or most impressive. They have unique drinks as well, given they have a bar inside that is also worth coming for since the location of this restaurant is conveniently located to walk downtown. 2. The Ambiance/ Service: The location is perfect if you are heading out downtown afterwards. The ambiance is very trendy, chic and romantic. It is intimate with brick walls and cool undertones. They only have seating inside. Restaurant is not that big so I would think they might have a wait time on busy nights. The service is also pretty good even for a relatively busy night. 3. Recommendation - Would I go again/ what I recommend it for: The restaurant is perfect for lunch or dinner; most likely recommend this for a trendy dinner and unique drinks read more

We lucked out and found a parking spot right in the front of the restaurant with an across-the-street view of the U.S. Courthouse and a bird's eye view of the new trolley car running by on a test run. Great street scape location in our fast-growing downtown for people watching and dining. I loved the salsa and hearty chips but was somewhat disappointed with the food. I ordered the 2 corn tortillas (homemade and thick) with potatoes and side dish of black beans and rice. I'm sorry to say the potatoes were very dry tasting and none of the dishes had much in the way of flavor. I put a lot of salsa on my tortillas and that helped with the blandness. Water was warm. No ice given or offered. I don't care for warm water in a restaurant. Have no idea why but I just don't. Service was very courteous. We had a bit of a wait for the food during a non-busy time. Not a ton of offerings for vegetarians but a few. It's a really cool restaurant style-wise and I love how they've done the interior and placed it in an historic building. Downtown continues to awe and inspire with its many dining choices. read more

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I'm on the fence about Penca and I so wanted to love it. I went with Siblings for a Saturday afternoon get together. The ambiance is amazing. The decor is rustic like something you would see on Pinterest. Lots of detail and cool laid back location. To start with our drink order we ordered 3 beers and 20 minutes later they came and informed us the tap (which they only have Modelo Especial on tap) had run out and would take sometime to chill. Not cool:( and they didn't even attempt to comp us in anyway. Then they were limited on a selection to 2 other imported beers and no domestics. Then I wasn't too thrilled with the food. I ordered the carne asada tacos which came with 2 tacos, and two sides which I had the poblano rice and black beans and they had absolutely no flavor. Looked great didn't taste like nothing and the carne asada was a bit undercooked. My bro and sis ordered the fish tacos which they said were pretty good. And the chips and salsa were pretty good too. Then we stayed a bit longer to try out the Happy Hour menu. The tacos are 2 for 5 which is good. We also tried the Chicharones which are cool but being Mexican I was expecting something different but was good for an appetizer. Again on the fence about this place- might give them another try - will let you know:) read more

Penca - Chicharones - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I have been here a few times in last couple of months. Growing up in Tucson, and also being Mexican I can tell you this is not your traditional, Mexican food. It is upscale and much more glamorous. Do not go expecting enchiladas, arroz com leche, or menudo. If this is what you're wanting go to El Minuto. Penca does not look like a Mexican restaurant at all. However, I really love the atmosphere, it's very modern but they play a lot of old style Mexican music that reminds me of my great grandmother and grandfather that to me is comforting. I appreciate it is not the typical mariachi music. The food like I mentioned is different from what I'm used to, but it is sooo tasty. The Queso Fundido amazing, Quesadilla amazing, carne asada tacos amazing the corn tortillas are house made and sooo damn good....but the best thing are their chips which are house made also AND their green salsa. That green salsa are what hopes and dreams are made of. The service the first two times were fine. Service was friendly, and accommodating. However, my service last night was awful! He would look at us and not bring us anything, took him 30 mins to bring our chips and salsa after asking 2 times, took him forever to come take our order. We wanted order off the happy hour menu only having a few mins to do so we were pretty annoyed that he was not on-top of it . To get more salsa and salt I had to ask a Busser to get it. She must have told him because he brought it out. He never once asked if we needed anything else, it was almost as if he was there to just help. I'm going to call to speak with management because that's unacceptable. That one experience will not prevent me from going back. I like this restaurant much better than Cafe Poca Cosa. read more

This place is great for brunch! Even at 10 am, you get unlimited chips and salsa!! No complaints there. I got the two eggs platter for only $8. This was a great deal to me and it was so much food! The fingerling potatoes were perfectly cooked and the charro beans were so flavorful. My brunch date ordered the chilaquiles and substituted calabacitas for the turkey and the dish also turned out really tasty! Service was very poor so I had to knock a star. read more

Penca - Dos huevos Great dish and so much food! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Good date spot. The food and cocktails did not disappoint. Had reservations and was sat on time. I wasn't full but the quality was there.

We made reservations for a large party. It took about 45 minutes just to get our drink orders. A member of our group asked if there was a manager who could possibly assist our server as we still had not placed food orders. We were told there was not a manager. The restaurant is fairly small and the other tables he 2-4 people. We had to go to the bar to get drink refills. The server didn't check on how the meal was nor did he follow up.. the food was just okay but the service was bad. There were 16 people in our party and everyone was disappointed with the experience. read more

This was my third time at Penca and my husband and I took our friends here for dinner because our first two experiences were exceptional. The food quality was not what it was before as the pork was dry and the steak was overcooked. I feel most disappointing was our service. I have always received great service. This time our server never stopped by and we had to flag her down each time we wanted drink refills. I'm so disappointed as this was my favorite place to eat downtown. I'm also disappointed as I really built this place up to my friends and I could tell they were disappointed and although they didn't say anything, they probably wondered about my "taste" when choosing a restaurant. I'm not sure I will return. read more

I wanted to really like this restaurant because it offers several vegetarian options. But I was really disappointed. The pinto bean soup, while tasty, was served lukewarm. I like my soup hot! The tacos were so small (3") my three year old could have eaten the whole thing! But worse, the cold tortillas were t-o-u-g-h. I had to chew for quite a while to get it down. While these issues are not horrible, they were annoying enough to prevent me from saying I would return there. Nope, I won't. read more

Would not recommend. Food was bad, small portions, and very expensive. So many better places in area that you should not waste your time going here. read more

Great food!!! Excellent Ambience!! The Horchata is amazing!! We will return this place is a hidden gem!

Good upscale Mexican food, delicious cocktails and nice atmosphere. Worth the trip from NW Tucson to the downtown area.

Service is great here. Everybody who waited on us (which looked to be like everyone who worked there...) were very friendly and helpful. Ambiance was comfortable, and the decor is cute, trendy, contemporary. Food, is where I have a few complaints. The appetizers we ordered were fantastic. No issues there. Rose sangria was mediocre at best. But the Chili Rellenos I ordered ? It was an entire onion, sautéed with mushrooms, and drenched in what seemed to be canned marinara... What chili ? The stem that was at one end of the skillet ?? Or the slight hint of spice with an overwhelming taste of spaghetti sauce? It was all over the place, and I obviously missed their "concept" of that dish. I guess I liked their rice. My friend's Carne Asada tacos were really dry, that even her 6 year old complained about it. We liked their salsa... I would come back for the appetizers. Thankfully, they were satisfying enough to not bomb the whole idea of this place as a dinner option. Sadface. I was hoping this place would've been a total hit, after seeing everyone's reviews. read more

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Very surprised by this new restaurant. The ambiance is wonderful and the use of industrial look was done just right. But how good is a beautiful shell with nothing inside? Glad to tell you that this place a whole package. The smells in the restaurant were of great dishes. These were clear smell, and by that I mean you could smell specific dishes or ingredients without them being muddled one on top of the other. We sampled the fish and rajas tacos. they are very unique and creative dishes, served in a fresh-hand-made corn tortilla that probably by itself would be wonderful. Our next door table had the pork hash and it looked and smell great. We closed with the churros and I must tell you that is a MUST HAVE dish! not sure I can put that more clearly. You can give this place a try and you will not be disappointed! read more

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