We had a group of 23 last night at Penca for a rehersal diner party. I can only say that everything was excellent! Individuals in my party had a variety of dishes and everyone was very impressed, starting from the chips and wonderful salsa and guacamole, to the soups and salad, the main dishes and the dessert! Everything was just delicious and the service was also excellent! We will be back! read more

What a cool restaurant! The outdoor seating area is beautiful, but the real fun is inside. There is so much history to the building and fixtures inside. The back room with spices and pickled jars is a great area for a photo! The cuisine is considered "Mexico City" with some other influences as well. I highly recommend the guacamole and salsa and esquites (spicy but so delicious!) The red sangria was also very good and not overly sweet. Overall I would come back. Definitely try and have a reservation on busier days, although they have bar seating for walk ins. read more

Penca - menu! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

First time we visited Penca was a year ago. We did family style and ordered a variety of items off the menu. The turkey tacos were amazing. Tried it again November of 2024 and ordered turkey and carnitas tacos this time and it was just okay. My turkey taco was all fat which confused me and the service was so slow. We got water when we sat down and never was replenished with more water. Tried it a third time in December with family and we ordered a variety of items again off the menu. The ceviche, pork chop and guacamole were good. We ordered a variety of tacos and the corn tortilla tasted funny. I couldn't eat mine. And once again the service was slow and was never replenished with water. The lighting in the place is dark so you'll need a flashlight to read the menu. read more

Overall, we really enjoy the mood and decor of Penca. When we arrived we were seated quickly without a reservation, which was nice! Although, we were seated in the back near the kitchen as the only seated party in that area. It took the server staff about 10 minutes to come over citing that they didn't realize we were back there. They were friendly and took our orders. At this point we noted that there was open seating near the window and they quickly and pleasantly agreed to reseat us. This would have been our preferred spot from the getgo as the people watching and view is great! We ordered the Estados Mezcal flight and the Ceviche. This was definitely the highlight of the meal. The ceviche had a perfect lime-y flavor and the fish was fresh. The pork chop dish was okay, but didn't quite reach the level of the Ceviche. I got the short rib with the hominy cheese blend as the base. It was good, but some parts of the meat were very salty and I had to really mix it with the hominy and red chili to balance it out. Overall, despite the minor main course indifferences, we were very happy that the team at Penca was so easy to work with to ensure we had a good experience. We would definitely come back! read more

Penca - Costillas de Res - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

A group of 8 friends decided to go to Penca tonight for dinner before a show at the Fox Theatre. We were quickly seated and after a few minutes the server came to the table and took drink orders. Chips and Salsas were brought to the table, along with two orders of guacamole. This was the highlight of the meal----it all went downhill from there. Two of the guests ordered the pork chop and asked that it be done on medium. Both came WELL done and were barely edible. Two of the other guests ordered Tacos and said they were not warm when they arrived. I ordered the "catch of the day" which was Halibut. The Halibut arrived so over cooked and over seared that it was borderline inedible---not what you expect for a $42 entree. Food aside, the most disappointing aspect of the meal was that fact that it took close to 45 minutes for the entrees to arrive after the appetizers. Entrees were brought one at a time; with at least 10 minutes between where the first guest received their entree and when the final guest received theirs. I want to like this place. It's a great location and the staff was friendly. Unfortunately, we have no desire to return based on tonight's experience. The kitchen definitely needs to get their act together https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60950-d3976359-r947643816-Penca-Tucson_Arizona.html# read more

Due to business travel, I spend time in the Tucson area and came across this restaurant in the downtown area. Overall experience was very good and food was exceptional. Primarily Mexican food with some flair. Nice ambience, cool decor, and friendly service. Started my dinner with their posole and a shrimp taco made with tortillas they make themselves. Ended with their vegan chile relleno. Give them a try and enjoy! read more

See all

I've come here to update my review on "Penca" as I truly feel this place deserves 5 stars. Everything in my previous review still stands - the food, the drinks, and the atmosphere are all wonderful. I still order the Diablo drink whenever it's on the menu (menu changes seasonally which I think is great!). I also love what they've done to the patio over the last two years - the string lights, plants, and little white flags hanging above really give a romantic feel. I've heard a few people say "I went there when it first opened but I wasn't crazy about it". I am here to tell you that the owners, chefs, whoever it is making decisions, have taken your feedback and improved this restaurant year after year (my fiance was one of those people and now he recommends Penca all the time!). Penca is a go-to for me whenever we want a date night or have guests in from out of town. I've been here countless times and never had a bad experience. It can be hard to find more "upscale" Mexican restaurants but Penca truly delivers. read more

This location and decor was adorable. That's one thing we felt Tuscon lacked was a wide array of restaurants with a well curated feel and menu. But Penca located in the downtown area, was a nice surprise. The menu may not be typical Mexican as some would imagine, but the flavors were outstanding. Husband ordered the branzino with a green tomatillo sauce, and I had shredded Turkey tacos with avocado, pickled red onion and a side of rajas. Very tasty! The skinny margarita was delicious, as well. Outside seating was nice at 7pm in November (they have indoor available, as well), twinkle lights above, chips, salsa, guac and a well made margarita, I'll take it! read more

See all

Ambiance: Romantic intimate indoor area and cool outdoor area that's on the sidewalk. Service: Efficient and personable. Our server was great. Food: I've tried all the different types of tacos and the ceviche and unfortunately, bland flavors without anything outstand and my visits were often more disappointing than not. Overall, I really wanted to like this place as the location was great as was the ambiance but the food was passable and more expensive that I would have liked. Would pass. read more

The restaurant ambience is cute, good service. Unfortunately the food/drinks were very hit or miss. I would recommend against getting the paloma for $11 or $14...it is a variation on a paloma that tastes very flavorless, a bit like a tea or kombucha. Way better cocktails elsewhere (eg. Sidecar, Kon tiki). The al pastor taco and the fish taco were $8 each and did not feel worth it. They are good tacos, don't get me wrong, but they didn't taste 3x better than tacos around Tucson for $2.50 The table next to us was a couple that shared the queso fundito. They didn't finish it and the cheese looked super thick and rich. Think the texture of melted string cheese. As I didn't try it, I can't comment on whether to get this, but just wanted to share my observation on this. Now on to the good aspects of this place. I would absolutely get the esquites. It is a bit pricey at $11 or $13, but it is delicious and generous portions (probably good for 3 people). Most other esquites I have gotten was super rich and a bit overwhelming. The ones here are the perfect balance, with some nice acidity to cut the creamy/fattyness of the aioli and cheese. It also has a nice gentle kick of heat to it. The free chips and homemade salsa was surprisingly good; I could buy a bucket of the salsa. It's got a good roasted flavor to it. The chips are also of the more sturdy variety, no breaking mid-scoop. I would absolutely come back for the esquites and chips/salsa, but probably not for the tacos/drinks. read more

See all

The food and service at Penca was fantastic. Everything was very flavorful and our server was very attentive. We will definitely return to try other menu items.. read more

See all

Let me start with the service was great, our waitress was nice, attentive and made sure any questions we had were addressed. We started with a flight of mezcal, the Favoritos, chips and salsa. Now for the part where the meal went downhill. We ordered the fish tacos, pozole, empanadas, nopales and calabacitas. The pozole had no flavor, you could tell the turkey was added after the fact and was rubbery and gross. The empanadas were supposed to be potato and beef. 2 out of 3 had very little to no beef. They were over cooked where the outside was hard and dry. The fish in the tacos tasted old to the point that I only ate 1 out of the 2 tacos ordered because I was concerned I would get sick. The nopales were slimy and tasted like crappy jar ones. Only things that were palatable was the chips and salsa, and the calabacitas. read more

Penca - Empanadas, Fish tacos, Nopales, Chips and Salsa, Pozole con Guajolote, Calabacitas - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Food was delicious, the empanadas were so tasty. Was in love with the tortillas!!!! Tried a couple cocktails but not to crazy about them, would recommend doing just the plain tequila flights. Service was quick and easy because we had reservations. Perfect for date nights especially with the evening cooling. read more

Made a reservation for an inside table and when we arrived, the hostess said that she couldn't find the reservation even though we had called just 10 min prior to confirm. Even after we showed the confirmation, they insisted on seating us outside. One of us ordered the pre-fixe special (side of carrots, pozole, entree, and dessert). The side of 5 carrot sticks and bowl of pozole alone took over an hour to be served (which should be ready to serve anyway), and the entree was disappointingly insipid. The server only brought the carrots after he was reminded that we had never gotten them. We ended up waiting an HOUR AND A HALF for all our entrees to be served, and noticed that people that arrived at the restaurant after us got their food first. Truly incredible considering the restaurant was not particularly busy the majority of the time we were there. Throughout this whole ordeal, the server didn't keep us updated on the situation (understaffed, problems with the kitchen, etc.) nor apologize for the wait until we were about to leave. In the end, we were offered dessert. Our party isn't particularly into sweets, and at this point, the last thing we wanted was to stay in this place any longer. We instead asked to have our one drink comped, but the best they could do was comp a side of guacamole. For a place that's looking to give an upscale vibe, we were disappointed with their attempt to compensate, and definitely felt that they did the bare minimum because they "should" given the circumstances, and not because they were genuinely apologetic. We cannot with good conscience recommend this place to anyone except our enemies. For most of us, it was our first time, and for all of us, it will definitely be our last. read more

This was my first time coming back to Penca since 2019 so I took it in completely. The space is the same, small and homey, good to see a new outside street seating available. Menu wise I ordered the guajolote tacos without chipotle crema (I'm df) side of the arroz poblano con elote and a sangria roja to drink. Sangria roja was divine, strong taste, dry but perfectly sweet! The rice was amazing such great home cooked taste. Tacos were okay, the guajolote was a bit on the dry side no real taste to it, perhaps the crema would of helped but in my instance without it they were quite bland. The best part of them were the homemade tortillas. The chips and salsa you get are delish-salsa is just right sweet and savory with a little kick to it. Overall would return but not for these specific tacos. read more

Penca - Guajolote Taco - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The Ensalada Verde is probably the best salad I've had in the downtown area. Highly recommend!

If you've been to Penca in years passed then this review is for you - GIVE THEM ANOTHER TRY! Seriously! We went on a recent weekend evening and there was a mere 10 minute wait for an outdoor table on the adorable sidewalk patio. The menu is still tightly curated but there are dishes for every palate. The vegan Chile en Nogada was so good I'm still thinking about it days later and my husband said the pork chop was the best....he's ever had! I really appreciated that our server mentioned specific ingredients in other dishes we ordered after she realized I ordered a vegan entrée. I am such a sucker for an inspired cocktail and the Elote Infused Mezcal cocktail is pure genius. Ended the meal with Tres Leches Cake and making mental notes of all the things we'll order on our next visit. read more

Penca - Chuleta de Cerdo - 1 Million Stars! Must try! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

We went to penca for Sonoran restaurant week and ordered both menu one and menu two. The chips and salsa were delicious. The chips tasted very fresh. We sat on the patio cause it wasn't hot, but spent the entire meal fighting off the flies. The patio is beautiful but definitely recommend sitting inside if you don't want flies assaulting you or don't want to be close to the main road. I loved the appetizers they were the best part of the entire meal. The esquites were some of the best I've ever had. Both entrees the chile en nogado vegano and the lomo de cerdo were fantastic. The desserts were okay, the flan didn't look like it set all the way but had great flavor. I would've ranked it five stars but the service was very slow, while our waitress was amazing and checked in often, it took 20 minutes plus for each portion of the meal to come out. read more

See all

Fair at best. Generally they were trying too hard. Light on proportions for fairly unremarkable food; sorry to say. Nothing bad; just not worth the price of admission read more

Very sad experience. Been here three times and the first two I was not impressed at all, but I gave it about two years and went back tonight for dinner thinking maybe they have improved. The "filet...chefs cut" for $42 was disgusting and not a filet mignon at all. No flavor whatsoever and didn't appear to be grilled...maybe they use a panini press for grill marks. Looked and tasted like a butterflied top sirloin that should cost $14-$20. Chips and salsa were good, salsa had a very good heat and flavor. One of us ordered the filet and they brought out the sea bass by accident...that happens so no big deal. Apps were decent but not impressive. Asked the server 3 times to split the bill since we were two separate couples and she couldn't figure it out. Server said sea bass was a whole fish, but came out as a 6oz fillet that tasted like it was microwaved. Overall very disappointed, drinks were made well but food was not good at all. Menu is also very limited and basic, so you would think they could perfect it, but that didn't happen. They comped us a tres leches which was so dry we didn't even touch it. Not worth the price, would go back for drinks and apps only, but definitely not for any main courses. read more

Service is none existent. I had to flag down the bar personnel to place an order. Sat and waited at least 15-20 minutes to get services. Flies everywhere for outdoor seating. Fish was bland with no flavoring. Dessert was a 20 minute's wait. It's not worth the wait. Missing side orders. Do not recommend this restaurant. read more

We were in Tucson for my stepson's soccer tournament this past weekend. Since we were there, we met my co-worker and her husband at Penca for dinner. My friend made reservations for 6:30pm but we got there early and were escorted to our seat immediately. We ordered: 1) Paloma Negra (Tequila de Jalisco, chile morita, limon, sal) - this had a bite to it. 2) Costillas en pibil (Beef short ribs braised in a pibil sauce served with white rice, cured vegetables, plantains) 3) Enscalopas a la plancha ( Pan-seared scallops over roasted tomatillo and green olive salsa garnised with basil, bull's blood, micro greens, shaved fennel) My friend said she didn't like the scallop as much as she thought she would. She enjoyed the braised short ribs that I ordered. It was a bit oily but that's what made it really good right? It was more than I could eat so I took it home for lunch the next day. It was kinda difficult to find free parking but it's available if you're willing to circle around a couple of times because street parking is free after on the weekend and after 5pm during the week. read more

See all

It was a good experience... I have to say that the food needed salt. The cocktails were good and the atmosphere was nice. The chairs were a little uncomfortable. All in all we had a good time. I cannot give it a honest five star review but we would come back. read more

Penca - Tacos!! Raja and fish - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Had the Jicara cocktail and it had an excellent smoky flavor. The Pescado with grilled fish, jalapeño, lime, Crema, cilantro and cabbage was amazing. It was street taco size and great for just the right amount. I love the atmosphere and the modern/antique decor. read more

See all

We ordered the fish tacos, rajas tacos and chili relleno. It was really delish. Would have given it 5 stars but all dishes including salsa lacked salt. Ambiance is really cool. Nice vibes read more

See all

I hadn't been here in years, not since the restaurant was new and I work downtown. But I was downtown unexpectedly on a Thursday evening and decided to stop in. The food turned out to be nothing short of glorious. We started with the guacamole and salsa platter, an enormous portion of guacamole and three different salsas. We moved on to pozole soup and the queso fundido, which were both served with fresh handmade tortillas. By then, I was so happy and satisfied that I didn't even want our shared entree, the shredded turkey tacos. But they too were so delicious we made short work of them. The space itself is lovely, with tons of windows to the street and excellent modern decor. And the attentive service struck just the right note of helpful without being overbearing. I'll have to come downtown more often. read more

Penca - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Love the creative take on Mexican and South American foods. This is what makes Tucson special! Penca does it right! My wife and I visit Penca as often as possible and always try something new, but I always get a Tepache cocktail... ask them about it, so awesome. Perfect date night restaurant and an awesome place to bring your out of town visitors, as Penca represents Tucson gastronomy fantastically. read more

Penca - Tepache cocktail! House made fermented pineapple alcohol... yes please! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

I would likely give it 4.5 stars, so I rounded up because my wife and I had a lovely dining experience there. The food had good flavors with a clean finish, The hominy soup was delicious. Ceviche just OK, but we're in the desert. The tacos were excellent. The wine list was good and reasonably priced. We are looking forward to going back and trying some of the other entrees. read more

The food is over priced and boring. We had a party of six and only one person enjoyed the meal. Our waitress was absolutely confused with everything. The rice was way over cooked and mushy. The $6 tacos were tiny with about a tablespoon of meat I'm them. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON THIS PLACE!! read more

Penca - Bland pozole - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Just because I sit at the bar shouldn't mean I have to order a drink. The vibe from the bartender was immediate annoyance when I said I just wanted a hot cup of water with a splash of lemon. Slow to get the food out. Acting irritated when we asked about the guacamole with the chips and salsa after all of our other food had come out. Tacos are like two bites and overpriced. The corn dish with queso was decent but too spicy. The bartender never asked how the food was, never re-filled our waters, never re-filled my warm water with lemon nor did she asked if I wanted more. There was no service here except for bringing out the food. Horrible experience. The last thing I ever want after being a recovering alcoholic is to feel bad about not ordering an alcohol beverage. I'll never step foot in this establishment again. Horrible. read more

Not happy at all with food, service on Sunday Jan 22. I brought family from outbid town and initially we got hassled slightly and accused of not having a reservation and we had just called 30 minutes prior. Once seated it took 10-15 minutes to get a drink ordered placed and then only 2 were served for a table of 4. One of us ordered coffee and it was barely warm and took 3 attempts to get sugar finally walked to the bar. Service was horrible everything took forever and when food arrived it was barely warm and not the quality I would expect for the prices. They had plenty of staff but they were not organized. It took 15 minutes to pay the bill. read more

Cute intimate date night approved. Food was spot on delicious. We will return! I want to sit outside when it's warmer although they do offer blankets for the patio which is awesome! read more

AMAZING drinks! We got the margarita and the tepache bourban drinks. Both were 10/10, specifically the tepache drink was a new flavor to us- sweet, funky, and very lovely pineapple-y taste. The drinks came with good ice, we noted as well. Phenomenal free chips & salsa - a bit Smokey/chipotle flavors in the salsa. I would buy the salsa jarred it was so good! The downside to our visit was the queso. It was essentially a heated block of cheese, that comes out with LOTS of oil on top. There's a good amount of chorizo underneath, but it is very difficult to eat this app, the cheese is not scoopable really at all. The queso dish would be a 1/5 I would not get it again, we ate less than half of it. Overall- would be back for drinks & chips/salsa minus the queso! read more

Penca - Margarita, chips & salsa - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

for the price and service and quality of my meal it was very disappointing. atmosphere was the only plus. read more

We went to Penca for my birthday, and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is cozy and clean! We had a table by the window, and it felt like we were sitting in our little part of Mexico. We were greeted warmly, and champagne waited at our table. Our server was excellent and provided explanations and some recommendations. We tried the guacamole, salsaas, and esquites. All were delicious! The esquites were creamy with a bit of spice. The guacamole was flavorful, and each salsa was savory with a unique spice blend. We loved each one! I had the chili relleno; my husband had the pescado, costilla, and carnitas tacos. He loved each one! My chili relleno was delicious! We had the churros for dessert, and they were served warm with a delicious chocolate and caramel sauce. Divine!! We will definitely be back!! read more

We heard great things about this restaurant while in town this past weekend. We had a reservation at 8 and got there about 30 minutes early thinking we might be able to get a table sooner. We sat at the bar, which was great, ate chips had some drinks and the bartender kept us entertained. Unfortunately, our 8 reservation came and went and before you know it we got a table at 8:15. The ambiance was good, food was ok. Our bartender was great, our waiter was trying but nothing seemed to be working from the moment we came in until the end. I think I'll try it again next time we are in town and give it another try since it came highly recommended. Sometimes you have to give it another try :) read more

I ate here with a Meetup group a few nights ago. The ceviche was terrific. Service was good. The space is attractive. It is more expensive than most Mexican restaurants in town, but it's nice for a splurge. read more

I love this restaurant! The service is impeccable! It is a trendy little spot downtown with a soft light ambiance. Sit on the patio for people watching! This place is not inexpensive, but their food is well worth the cost! They have a rotating menu with delicious options. They do not have a run of the mill menu! Perfect spot for date night! Make a reservation, though. This place is hopping, and you will need a reservation to secure a table. I had Chili en nogado. Perfection! Husband had the Carne asada tacos. Meat was tender and there was not excessive blubber on it.Highly recommended this place! read more

I've been waffling on what rating to give Penca -- 3 stars or 4 -- since I ate dinner there, because my experience was largely positive, with just one glaring fault. Let me explain: Penca is a very urban-chic restaurant, with decor that manages to be both industrial and welcoming. I love the huge windows and natural light, and the atmosphere was fun. We began our dinner with the mole tasting, which consists of six different mole sauces served with steaming hot corn tortillas. The moles were exceptionally good, and it was really fun to taste each of them and discuss the different flavor profiles. They run the range from sweet to savory, mild to spicy; we had a couple of standout favorites, but they were all delicious. The moles come with a bowl of queso fresco -- I recommend using it as a palate cleanser between each sauce! For our entrees, we each got tacos. I got the Arrachera tacos (steak, guajillo salsa, avocado crema, cilantro, and onion), and my friend got the Guajolote tacos (turkey, chipotle sauce, cabbage, scallions, and avocado). The tacos were great: bright, bold flavors, well-cooked protein, and a strong tortilla base. The rice and beans on the side, though? A bland, mushy mess. The rice and beans had literally no seasoning and thus no flavor at all. No salt. No spice. No citrus. It was literally tasteless, and quite frankly, very jarring when compared to everything else we ate that night. I squeezed lime on mine, then scraped out the remnants of the mole into it to give it a little zest. My tactics helped, but not quite enough. It was such a disappointing counter to the tacos. I'd get the tacos again in a heartbeat if I could get them by themselves, but I'm unwilling to pay their prices for a platter on which bland sides take up most of the plate. I'll give Penca another shot, since I really did enjoy it overall, but those flavorless sides really left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

See all

Great food fresh ceviche, best restaurant I've eaten at in Tucson and by far the best Mexican food. Parking is a bit of a pain but well worth enduring downtown. read more