Came here for a 2nd time for brunch with my Mother in Law right at open. We were first here at 11, greated to beautiful music and it wasnt crowded at all so we were seated promptly. They have a brunch menu but we both ended up ordering from the main menu. She had Camarones de Borrachos and I had La Torta Gorda Carnitas. Both were extremely flavorful. The Camarones was a new recipe apparently. More chipotle flavored with a slight kick. From the looks the shrimp were very plump. My Torta was great. Bread was nice and butter and the carnitas were magnificent as advertised by our friendly waiter, Dustin. I also had a Horchatalada which was a sweet way to wash down this heavy food. Great experience and i cant wait to come back and try something else. read more

Polanco Cantina - La Torta Gorda - Carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The food at Polanco Cantina is genuinely solid, which makes the rest of the experience more frustrating. One of our entrees came out late, and another came out wrong. Our server was clearly stretched thin and even mentioned needing to close out other tables. He stopped by once to offer a refill, but it never came. I understand busy nights happen, especially near Golden 1 Center, but the pacing and attention made us feel more like a transaction than a guest. If you're grabbing a quick bite before an event, the food will do the job. If you're looking for a relaxed, unhurried dinner, I'd look elsewhere. read more

I arrived here somewhat late with a party of three on a weekday evening and quickly realized that there was only about 30 minutes left before closing, so we decided to order our food to go rather than dine in. From what I could see, the restaurant looked really inviting and I appreciated that they have a dog friendly patio. I always have my pup with me and that is the main reason we chose this location. I liked the style and design of the interior of the restaurant and overall it had a very nice vibrant feel. The staff was also warm and friendly. Unfortunately, the food was a mixed bag. The Torta Gorda was the biggest disappointment. The meat was very bland and seemed barely seasoned while the bread had become soggy by the time we got it home. There just wasn't much to it. The mole also missed the mark for me. The sauce lacked the rich complex flavors I expect from a good mole and the chicken was noticeably dry. The rice, beans and esquites were ok. The nachos on the other hand were quite good. They were flavorful and satisfying and although I thought they were a little heavy-handed with the radishes, I mostly enjoyed the flavors. For for three people the bill came to around $100 after tip which felt a bit steep, especially considering the overall quality of the meal. While this visit didn't live up to my expectations, I'm willing to give Polanco Cantina another shot and probably dine in next time. I have a much better idea now of which dishes to steer clear of and the restaurant itself seemed promising so I'm hoping the experience is improved when the food is enjoyed fresh from the kitchen. read more

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Can't say enough how much I recommend the mushroom quesadilla! So much flavor and not skimpy. Baja shrimp and fish tacos could have been better. My tortillas were soggy and fell apart. Homemade chips and fresh salsa. I've had their drinks there before and they're good! My waiter Dustin was great and made it a pleasant experience. Would definitely come back. read more

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Absolutely loved this restaurant. The ambiance was so bright and clean. We sat on the patio overlooking Golden 1 Center Entrance. It was a beautiful day. The service was great. Food came out fast and our server was knowledgeable and he gave us recommendations. I ordered a Moscow Mule to drink. It was made just how I like it. And lastly the food was . The textures and flavors were so refined and absolutely delicious. Everything we had was so tasty. I ordered the shrimp tacos. OMG so good!! The layers of flavors were perfect. The sauce was creamy with a good kick. The shrimp was fried and crispy. The lettuce and herbs were so fresh. We got the frijoles dip with chorizo. It was really delicious. I thought I was going to get gerd but I didn't care since I had tums in the car lol. I didn't get gerd though, score I'd definitely come back! read more

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Went here for happy hour with coworkers. Since I work close by, we walked here so didn't have to deal with parking. You have 2 garage options (the garage by 24 hour fitness, or the one by the movie theaters). I believe they validate parking as well. There's also street parking available and pubic transit within walking distance. For the happy hour, we ordered guacamole, chips and salsa, carnitas tacos, and chicken tacos. We also ordered the sinaloa wings and Oaxacican cheese sticks. I did enjoy everything, but it can be spicy for some, especially the wings. Everything we ordered was from the happy hour menu. The restaurant itself is roomy and has a lot of seating. I can see a lot of costumers coming here before a game at G1 center. Service was great as well. The bartender was nice and helpful, even though he was playing bartender and waiter. If you do happy hour. It's at the bar only. This might be in our rotation. read more

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Went with friends after a work event. Not super authentic, but food was still good. I enjoyed my Horchatalada and quesabirria tacos. Server was very attentive. Cute space with murals and bright colors. Great location by Golden One center. read more

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Great service and location. We came on a non-event day so it was not busy. Horchata cocktail was something I had never tried and was delicious. read more

Polanco Cantina - Queso Fundido, elote, chicken wings - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

Excellent service each time I have come. Interior is beautiful, fun, and has a great view of the Golden1 Center in downtown Sacramento. My friend enjoyed the pollo verde enchiladas and two of us ordered the quesobirria. I always enjoy a great quesobirria and these came with a slightly crispy/chewy delicious shell and well prepared birria. The onion/cilantro side were a nice complement. The cilantro rice was a bit cold, but still delicious. read more

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Surprisingly delicious Mexican food right by the golden 1 center, this bright and speedy establishment is the perfect spot before hitting the arena. The inside is well lit, with color walls and plenty of room for larger parties. Our server was very prompt with getting our drink orders down, as well as getting the kids food ordered before the adult meals. -Mexican Cornbread-absolutely stole the show. Was not expecting such a delightful piece of bread! -Ceviche app- nice and tart with firm shrimp and cod pieces, a crowd favorite. -Nachos El Supremo with chicken adobo- another safe bet if you're looking for crunchy and savory tortillas covered in all your favorites -Baja fish tacos- HUGE. I ordered 3ea instead of their normal 2ea, big mistake. You'll be full eating 2 only! Crispy fish with a nice creamy chipotle crema, avo, slaw, and pico de gallo. Fantastic, will get these again -Quesabirria tacos-comes with consume, pickled and raw onions. This is the one that didn't hit the mark with me personally, but my table enjoyed it. I wasn't expecting perfection, but since the quality of everything else was unexpectedly high, I was looking forward to a nice surprise. Maybe I'll try them again next time to be sure this wasn't a choice for me. -Camarones Borrachos-tequila cream shrimp over cilantro rice- it's like eating a Hispanic risotto! A banger, must try. Overall a fantastic choice if you're hitting the arena after a quick, delicious lunch/dinner! read more

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Came with visiting family and never been so wanted to check out. I mistakenly thought it was part of the watch party restaurant below. Prices are whatever but the vibes food and service were good. Sharing a child's plate wiped clean, almost. Thank you! read more

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One of my students gave me a gift card to Polanco. His dad works there so he wanted us to try it out. We were going to a Kings game so it was the perfect chance to use it! I told his dad we are on a quest to try as many quesabirria tacos as we can. He said theirs were really good! We only really wanted the tacos, but they don't offer the tacos à la carte anymore (other reviews showed that they did). The plate came with two tacos, cilantro rice, refried beans and a consommé. You could add a third taco for $6. We waited a lonnnnng time for our food to come out - almost 30 minutes!! Not sure if that was because of the crowd or not, but they have that much seating on a normal basis, so.... The tacos themselves were delicious (though a little in the smaller size) - burnt cheese and meat delightfully oozed out of the crispy shells and the cheese they used was super yummy! There was a fair amount of meat and cheese. There was cilantro/onion and pickled onions on the side, so I had to peel open the tacos to put them in - minor inconvenience. The consommé was flavorful, but mine was not even warm. The cilantro lime rice was green. That was a little off putting when we saw it on the menu and asked if there was Mexican rice and we were told that there wasn't. It was meh. The beans were also lackluster. Both of us only took a few bites. I wish we had the option to just get the tacos. It felt wasteful to not eat the beans and all of the rice. The server and host were great. The vibe was awesome - Spanish music playing with mood lighting and heat lamps outside. I don't know if we will make a special trip out here again, but we are happy we got to try the tacos! read more

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Great place to eat or bar a drink before a game or concert! Conveniently located next to Golden 1 center. Strong drinks! Loved! Super tasty. Generous portions. Food was all hot and fresh and flavorful. Chips and guacamole? Yes please! Did you not see my photo?! Everyone was extremely attentive. The hostess. Our bar tender and waiter. Great experience. read more

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Had some time before catching a game and decided to give Polanco Cantina a try. We decided on the Prickly Pear Margarita, Mango Slushy Margarita and chips and salsa. The drinks were really good and definitely recommend both. The chips and salsa were also tasty. We sat in the bar area and it was busy because of all the pregamers for the basketball game so the bartender gave us our menus from the across the bar (we were at a table across from the bar) and I had to get up and order but it wasn't big deal. He brought over our drinks and another busser brought us our chips and salsa. It was a great atmosphere and we will definitely be back. The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars was that our busser who brought chips didn't bring us any water after we asked. read more

Polanco Cantina - Prickly Pear Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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came in yesterday for family brunch. it wasnt crowded when they opened so we got seated right away. Dustin/Justin (sorry lol) was our waiter and he was excellent!!! we ordered bottle of mimosas and we got all the juices. he supplied us with all the different salsa and chips it was spicy good!!! wings were tasty as i remembered. also recommend the brussels sprout as an appetizer. kids meals are $13 and you get a soda and ice cream dessert included. read more

Polanco Cantina - the wings. - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Quesabirria tacos from the brunch menu! Super bussin the staff was so kind and friendly, and the tacos were amazingg, it was a bit on the pricy side but is a great place to go after a kings game! read more

Polanco Cantina - Quesabirria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

This place was amazing. Vibes were on point to get you started for any concert or outing. Came here for girl time before seeing Cardi B in concert. I reserved a table which was easy and very convenient. We were sat right away, greeted by our server within minutes. I was expecting some wait time since the location is right next to the venue but I was proved wrong. Food was delicious. Small Guacamole 10/10- portion was so good that I thought we ordered the large for a minute. Well Mixed and was not bland. Quesabirria Tacos 10/10 came out piping hot, Soni had to wait to eat them but flavor was on point, consume was not bland. They gave onions and cilantro on the side to add in the tacos. The cilantro rice was the perfect side kick, beans had flavor too. Mushroom & Rajas Quesadilla -7/10 I only give a 7 because I am not a mushroom fan. I tried my cousins meal and it was yummy besides the mushrooms lol (I know that was the entire quesadillas insides) if you like mushrooms I'm sure it would be a 10/10. The sauce had a kick and was yummy. Avocado Tacos 8/10 were yummy, gave the vibes of fish tacos but I do wish they had some spice. Next time I will ask for the sauce in the mushroom quesadilla to add to the tacos then 10/10. Drinks were pretty and with alcohol. A must visit if you guys are near, you will not be disappointed. Can be loud with the music playing. So if you're looking for quiet, choose another place. read more

Polanco Cantina - Prickly pear margarita - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The food was Amazing. These chicken wings are delicious. Also best guacamole and homemade corn chips around Sacramento. The staff if friendly. This is a great spot, very nice experience. A great view of the Downtown DOCO area. Oh and Best Paloma I've had !!! And great price. read more

Polanco Cantina - Chicken wings and Guacamole/salsa and Tortilla chips - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

I guess I was a bit disappointed at first when my first three requests they were either out of, no longer serving, or just didn't have. I did order something though. The presentation was nice and the taste was refreshing. The vibe was good and I did enjoy the music playing. read more

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Let me introduce this amazing place that should've been posted on 8/1 when we went there after the convention. Located in the busy heart of downtown therefore parking will be a migraine so don't forget the Tylenols. Too hungry to do a bathroom check but I'm pretty sure if I viewed it that day I would not be so kind due to short staff and busy day. Restaurant and staff appears to be neat and clean. Service 4/5 It was jam packed and they did their best but the person that is supposed to oversee our table just appears and disappears like a magician. We waited for the check which took a bit and once the check was dropped off the person left and we waited for 5 minutes and went to pay by ourselves Ambiance 5/5 Amazing vibe inside and outside seatings. Outside gives you the view of the center of what's going on. Inside is music and lots of chatters Food 5/5 Food is super fresh and amazing. Options are low for vegans, vegetarians or pescatarians so check out their menus before going. Plates are about $25-30 per person. If you're in the area check this tasty Mexican place out. Truly won't be disappointed. I do recommend reservations due to them getting pretty busy. Like it, love it, let me know if you tried my recommendation read more

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This is our go-to before Kings or A's game. Located in the DoCo area by Golden 1, this is a fun, easy-going restaurant. The food has always been good, with the service to match. Even on game night, you are taken care of in a timely way. I especially like being there in the early baseball season where it's warm enough to sit outside, or close to the edges. When you go, you have to try the Oaxaca Cheese Stickers. They are more like an egg-roll with a cheese stuffed chile that is deep fried. They are so good! I also love the birria stuffed chile relleno. Give this spot a shot and I can almost promise you'll be back! read more

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This place is on the 2nd story in the DOCO area (Downtown Commons). You cannot miss it if you are attending the Golden 1 Center for an event. It's the most convenient location to eat before your event! I tried the "Camarones Borrachos" and it was pretty good. It's dish of cilantro rice with seared shrimp. The shrimp were quite large and juicy. The sauce they used was perfection. I should've asked for something to make it spicy though. It's a pricey dish at $27 though. The restaurant is large but gets extremely packed on game days (or any event days). I waited about 20 min for a table for 4. The service was fast. Our server was knowledgeable and recommended appetizers and drinks for us too. We had a good experience and will definitely go here again. read more

This is a very cute place located right on top of Tom's watch bar! I sat at the bar and the service was super attentive. I got their nachos and added steak. I really enjoyed the nachos but I did wish there was a bit more meat but it is what it is. I did take a few bites before snapping that photo! I recommend stopping by! I have a feeling that it gets really busy on game nights or anytime there is a concert, so just keep that in mind. read more

Polanco Cantina - Nachos El Supremo - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

We dined in for lunch for my birthday. On this visit, I ordered the carnitas plate. I liked the flavor; however, it was very dry and not as tender as I preferred. The queso fundido with chorizo is always very delicious. This is my must order menu item during my visits. My sister ordered the birria dilla, which is what I should have ordered. I love the crispiness of the quesadilla and the flavor of the birria. I am definitely ordering this on my next visit. Drinks are always delicious with a strong alcohol content. read more

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Trio of ladies looking for a great margarita, and we happened upon Polanco Cantina. I'm so glad we took the chance. The restaurant is in a great location inside the Golden 1 Center. The ambience is colorful, inviting and the staff was super friendly. We got our margarita flight and they were all delicious. The Cadillac is still my favorite. Our food took a little longer than expected but it did not disappoint. We ordered the stuffed avocado salad, chile verde and grilled fish tacos. Everything tasted fresh, well seasoned and perfectly cooked. Once we took those first bites, we forgot about the wait. I should mention the chips and salsa were also delicious - freshly made! We're not in Sac often, but we will come back to enjoy this find. read more

This is my go-to spot whenever I'm at Golden 1 for a concert. Food is always a chef's kiss. Service can be a little slow but that's expected with crowd on show nights. Ambiance is lively. Prices are about what you expect for a downtown concert spot. Not cheap but fair for the portions and quality. read more

Polanco Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The appetizers weren't exciting at all! They gave us a mountain of nachos that were stale with the queso fundido that was just done so poorly with the serving size being two dips?!!. The service was sloppy and short staffed. Tables were sticky besides that the ambiance was okay-ish. Going back to the food it was sooo over priced for some Mexican food done meh. If you do find you're there the chicken torta was somewhat decent. read more

Polanco Cantina - Chicken La Torta Gorda and Avocado Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

Loved the location, loved the drinks, loved the food! We stopped by for dinner before a Kings game and it was super convenient to park once and have a real dinner before the game. The guac was just okay (lacked flavor but it could be a seasonal issue) but the salsa and horchatalada (frozen horchata piña colada) were delicious. I had the grilled shrimp tacos which were cooked to perfection. My husband had the chicken mole enchiladas which were incredible. As others have mentioned, I think the cornbread is batch made in the morning and needs to be warmed more before serving, as there was cold, previously melted cheese throughout and seemed a bit dry unless you got a bite with the crema on it. It had a good flavor but I would probably skip that, too. Overall it was super a delicious meal and we will definitely be back soon! read more

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I'm really glad that I found this place on a recent business trip to Sacramento. I was just looking for a casual sit down place near the hotel and this fit the bill nicely. I ordered the relleno birria - stuffed chili with birria and cheese with beans and rice (I basically skipped the rice and asked for double beans). This was the server's recommendation and it was great. Really hit the spot for me. Service was good and efficient. It's a nice Mexican restaurant and the music wasn't too loud. With tax and tip, this was around $35. It's a good option when visiting this part of town. read more

Polanco Cantina - Relleno - Birria - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

3.5 for Polanco! Love seeing how this place have grown from when it first opened! Came here on a Friday night and got seated right away. Surprise how it was not as busy as it used to be. Food came quick service was faster than the first time we came in. Food was typical sports bar/Mexican Cantina. The ceviche was a little too sour and acidic for my liking, but love the touch of Plantains. Fish tacos were good. 4 stars for our server who validated our parking! Also love the area as always, we DoCo is always a hit and Polanco is vibrant and colorful. read more

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2nd time here-Tried the Frijoles con Queso w/chorizo. DELICIOUS The drink is the Anticuado-if you like Tequila . Bit strong but very smooth read more

Polanco Cantina - Came here again! The frijoles con queso w/chorizo. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! The drink is the Anticuado - if you like tequila - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

Located next to Golden 1 arena. There were no shows the evening we went so it was quick to get seated. We ordered the Brussels sprouts appetizer and the Mexican cornbread. Both were absolutely delicious. Brussels were a little salty and the Mexican cornbread I wish was heated up more to melt the cheese but the flavor was incredible. I ordered chicken tortilla soup in a bowl and it was huge. All portions were really big which I felt was a great deal especially for the area. We didn't order any drinks but they looked good. There was plenty of seating inside and out. We sat inside and the artwork was beautiful to look at. Overall great experience, the server was really kind and patient with our requests. read more

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A really solid Mexican-American place at DOCO. I would attribute the higher prices with the proximity to downtown attractions. Offerings - Chips and salsa: Not complimentary but the chips are really great quality. The salsa was a pretty basic red salsa, good flavor but not especially unique or outstanding. - Birria Ramen: my first time trying this dish was here and I was very impressed. The consommé served as a great broth, if a little fatty. The meat is tender and the onions and cilantro provide great contrast. Compared to other versions that I've had of this dish, I would say this is among the best. - Quesabirria Tacos: Great flavor and texture. I loved the crispy cheese and the amount of meat per taco was great! This is served with the consommé for dipping, that was again, very flavorful. The pickled accompaniments of this dish were very good. - Cilantro rice, refried beans, guacamole: all of these are average. Not terrible but nothing to write home about. All serve their purpose well. - Salad with Adobo chicken: There was a generous amount of chicken on the salad. The other ingredients were very fresh and the salad was good overall. The hosts and waiters were very nice and friendly. They did come by to check on us and refill our waters. The decor is really beautiful here. High ceilings with bright colors, but the place is still very trendy and modern. Lots of different options for seating: indoor, outdoor on the balcony, bar seating, booth style, regular tables, high tops. read more

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The food was really good. My friend ordered the carnitas plate and loved the sweet mango sauce, and I ordered the chicken quesadilla, which was also really good. The beans and cilantro rice complemented the meal well. We also ordered a mango tequila slushy, and that was delicious too. The only reason I'm deducting a star is because the service was really slow. No one came to check on us, and I had to go to the bartender myself to place an order. Other than that, the food and drinks were great. read more

Love coming here for lunch. Their enchiladas are tasty and a great portion. Amanda is the kindest server and she always takes care of us. I also love their horchatalatta. So yummy and it will get you buzzing! The restaurant has plenty of seating and great music. Also a great place to dance during Friday and Saturday nights. read more

Polanco Cantina - Machaca Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

Came for happy hour and had a great time with my girlfriend. We both had these slushy drinks and omg they were to die for. Our server Brian was amazing he was attentive told us which drinks to get and was just overall friendly. The happy hour drinks come w chips and salsa and let me tell you the salsa was so bomb. Happy hour gets busy but it was worth it. Can't wait to come back. read more

Polanco Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

Good food in a great location. We came here after seeing a movie in Doco. It's in a very convenient location if you are in the area. The drinks we ordered were good, especially the bloody Mary. Nice mixture and has a spice to it but not overwhelming. The food we ordered was delicious. The potatoes that the Mexican BLT came with were sooooo good. The sandwich was tasty. And just the right size. We definitely left feeling full. The service was great and very attentive. There's plenty of seating inside. They also have balcony seating that would be good to do when it's warmer. Because it has a nice view of Doco. We'll be coming back to this restaurant for sure. read more

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Stopped in for a late dinner after a private event at the opening of the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink ended around 9 PM. Not too busy, seated right away. At least one other party there celebrating a birthday. Chips and salsa are complimentary, but we splurged on a small guacamole ($11). The guac had cotija cheese on top and was pretty good! Both the salsa and guac had a little kick. They do carry Mexican Coca-Cola bottles ($5) and Jarritos, but no non-alcoholic horchata. We got the Mole Enchiladas ($21), Pollo Mole ($27), and the Machaca Enchiladas ($23). Enchiladas orders come with 2 by default, $6 for an additional enchilada. My enmoladas, if you will, had a very cheesy filling, and the edges of the corn tortillas were a little bit crisp-charred. The mole sauce itself was OK but not the best I've ever had. The cilantro rice was OK, and the black beans were very good. The mole pollo (chicken breast) meat was dry, and the brussels sprouts they came with were OK. The birria-dilla I got last time cannot be topped. I am curious about the chile verde pork and the carnitas plate though for next time. They do validate parking at the DOCO garages -- scan the QR code from your ToastTab receipt to get 90 minutes validated. read more

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Waiter was great. Very attentive. Fun atmosphere and great place to go before Sacramento Kings game. Food was great. Got the chili relleno stuffed with carnitas and was so good. Would definitely cone back. read more

I met a couple friends here this past week. I have heard mixed reviews about this place, so I was interested in trying it for myself. I had the Michelada Verde, Birria Ramen, and Mexican cornbread. I really wanted to like my dinner, but honestly it was just ok. The only seasoning I could taste was salt. The broth had no flavor. My Michelada did not have any real flavor either other than from the beer. Our server was super nice, but since the food wasn't that great I don't plan on coming back. read more

Polanco Cantina - Mexican cornbread - Mexican Near Me - Sacramento, California

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