Don Pancho's Mexican Food

Rated as some of the best California Burritos in the city from locals and social media. A very solid burrito with the tortilla being the best part for me. The carne asada was a bit dry, needed more seasoning. Added guacamole for extra cost as it does not come with. Which in my opinion is very much needed to help with how fries can dry out a burrito. Very good and cost is not bad either.

Oh. My. Gordito. 🤤 That was the best Pollo Asado burrito I've ever had. It was so chonky it could sit on its own hind legs. The red salsa was fabulous. Just the right amount of kick (I can be a baby with spice sometimes). I wasn't a fan of the green salsa because of the oregano, but my boyfriend loved it. We'll be back!!

I am glad that I ran into this place while staying in Imperial Beach because the food is so good! My chimichanga had so much flavor and was very filling! The portions are very large, and the prices are very affordable! There was a line for pickup orders, so it took about 20 minutes to receive my order after placing it. I highly recommend this place.

The roll tacks were great, but the Surf n Turf was alright. Little to no cream and too much rice. Felt like I was eating a rice burrito at one point. Although it did have great flavor towards the end after eating through all that rice. I think I’ll just ask for it without the rice and extra cream. Overall a great stop. The cashier lady was super nice

The best taco shop has now become the worst. This is what happens when rude kids run this shop. I’ve been eating here for 6 years. This is how my food has been looking lately. The boy cashier is the rudest boy ever! He seems annoyed to be working there. Please give your business to someone else. Not these rude people.

So good! I am from the east coast and was in town for the weekend. I wanted authentic Mexican food and was told to go here by a local. It was SO GOOD! The food was cooked to order so it was hot. The beans are fully of flavor, I don’t even like beans and loved them! The taco itself was magical. It had flavors that we don’t get at the restaurants back home. I’m a culinary school grad with years of restaurant cooking experience. I love to cook and Mexican food is my favorite. This place had the authentic yummy flavors that only real Mexican places offer. I wish I could make this at home but it just wouldn’t be the same! I had the shrimp taco with guacamole added and my sister had the California burrito which she also loved.

I’m a loyal customer and come here often because the food is usually good. Unfortunately, my order is almost always wrong. I consistently ask for chipotle sauce inside my burrito, and it somehow gets missed nearly every time. I’m not sure if it’s a communication issue or something happening in the kitchen, but after ordering the same thing so many times, it’s frustrating to keep getting the same mistake. I don’t think I’m asking for anything complicated—just hoping the cooks can slow down enough to get the order right.

Food was great! Prices were extremely fair. Staff is friendly and attentive. Red and Green salsa was on point. Would go back next time we're in IB

This place is a lifesaver. I live within walking distance, and any home dinner disaster leads us straight to Don Ponchos. I always call ahead, which I highly recommend if you don't like standing around waiting. Even if you do wait, it's generally pretty fast, though I can only vouch for non-peak hours. I particularly like the night chef because when I order the carnitas tacos during that time, the chef adds a crisp to the meat that I love. My only gripe is that they don't have real guacamole--it's more like a crème. Sometimes I don't mind it, but other times I wish for authentic guacamole. I recently discovered their habanero sauce, which has made my visits even better. Additionally, ask for the spicy pickled carrots if you get the carnitas mini tacos.

This morning we decided on Don Poncho's taco shop for breakfast. We ordered 7 breakfast burritos total. 4 breakfast burritos that came with bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, potatoes & cheese. 3 bacon breakfast burritos (we added beans) that had all of the above minus the other meats. Everyone was more than pleased with the taste and size of the burritos. There is onsite parking and an order window in the front of the building where you order and a window on the right to pick up your food. There is also a small indoor dining room, with the entrance being on the left side around the corner when facing the building, where you order at the window inside. On the right side of the building there is an outdoor seating area that is currently under construction. The staff is always friendly and the place is constantly busy but not too busy to get your food & go quickly. Prices are reasonable and a good value and size. Definitely my favorite taco shop in IB.

I am so disappointed tonight in Don Pancho and how my husband was just treated by the staff there. We have been regular customers for years now and have often ordered the same thing. Tonight he ordered my usual tostada bowl and was argued with and told they didn't provide it with carne asada, despite the menu clearly saying carne asada and my order for YEARS being carne asada. The teenage employee argued and then raised her voice about it and told the manager to "deal with this guy". The manager made the order fine and she stormed off and then proceeded to point at and laugh at my husband with two kitchen employees while he waited in our car. This is absolutely unacceptable behavior from a local establishment that we have loved and frequented for so long. The teenage girl was extremely immature and angry for absolutely NO reason, as my husband is a chill mild mannered therapist who wouldn't hurt a fly and he was genuinely just confused about why she was refusing his order. I am hoping to hear something back from management on this because I am very unhappy with how my husband was treated and very unhappy with Don Panchos lack of customer service.

Soooo sooo good I would get one every other day if I didn't live a ways away now and if I worked closer to the beach but sadly I don't ‍ . So I have to settle with getting it whenever I'm down there which is every other weeknd . Love their Cali burritos but my favorite is their carne asada fries / nachos 10/10

Howdy, folks! Captain 619, the cowboy surfer, is back with a fresh take on Don Panchos Taco Shop. Now, let me tell ya, this place used to be my go-to spot for many moons, especially when me and my lady had a hankering for some tasty grub. But lately, things have taken a tumble down the canyon, and even my iron gut is having a tough time keeping their food from turning into a raging fire inside me. It's a real bummer, y'all. Not only that, but the cleanliness of this joint leaves much to be desired. It ain't exactly the spick and span saloon you'd hope for. And let's talk about the quality of their vittles. It's gone downhill faster than a tumbleweed in a sandstorm. It pains me to say it, but I reckon this ol' spot only deserves a measly two stars from this cowboy surfer. But hold on tight, 'cause there's more to this tale. Many a time, I've forked over my hard-earned cash for extra fixin's to be added to my order. But more often than not, eight out of ten times, they plumb forget to include 'em. Can you believe it? It's like trying to rope a wild stallion, I tell ya! Just today, I paid extra for some good ol' cheese on my burrito. And guess what? Despite reminding 'em three times about past mishaps, they went ahead and left out the cheese once again. To add insult to injury, they had the audacity to charge me $1.49 for the missing cheese, along with a sneaky 50 cent surcharge. Now, that ain't no way to treat a loyal cowboy surfer, I reckon. So, my friends, it's with a heavy heart that I have to give Don Panchos Taco Shop a disappointing two stars. It's time for this cowboy surfer to ride off into the sunset in search of tastier waves and more reliable grub. Yeehaw!

I used to love coming here. It was my go to especially after being at the beach all day. I stopped last night about 6 pm after being at Coronado. I ordered a taco salad, with carna asada, and ate it there. The shell is fried and it tastes like it was cooked in bad grease. So I didn't finish it, and just ate the inside. I left about 6:45 headed home. I live 10 minutes away, by the time I got home I was throwing up. Been throwing up off and on all night and woke up still nauseous and feeling icky. This was definitely food poisoning at its finest. Sorry I won't be coming back.

Great for cravings! California burrito here is one of the best I've had in San Diego - it's so big I can never finish even half. There are homeless here sometimes pestering people otherwise I would if given it 5 stars. Quesadillas are good and tacos are good. Breakfast burritos are great too! It's more of a grab and go because they do out an outdoor dining but it's small. Still 4/5 is a fair rating.

Liked the burrito, however the bean to cheese ratio is off. It definitely needs more cheese and less beans.

Good burritos. Always filling and quick. A must have in Imperial Beach. Imperial beach staple.

Been coming here off and on and today I was a bit disappointed with the roll tacos... it just didn't have any flavor on the meat. Please fix it.

If you're going to Don Panchos, it should be for the California burrito. Great the way it comes with a freshly made tortilla and extra crispy fries!

Updated Review: 3 Stars. Everything is the same except their phone service sucks. They put us on hold then never came back. We tried to call back 5+ times and were given a busy sound. Old Review: The food here is delicious. They always do a great job making my meals here. The mini street tacos are always a good get, as well as the California burrito and carnitas burrito. I think solely based on the food it's a must try to go here. The staff here is always friendly, helpful and kind. I've never had a rude encounter here. Food comes out fast and it's all good vibes here from the people. The dining area could use work. The tables are always dirty. You can usually find a table to eat at, but if it's really busy (which it really does get busy during lunch time) you may have trouble getting a table. The trash cans are frequently overflowing. P.S. Although the dining area may not be great, you should definitelv check out this spot. Food: 5 Stars Service: 5 Stars Ambiance: 3 Stars Average (total stars/categories): 4.33 stars

Always good good here's a tip call in your order as displace is always busy regardless of the time of day the portions are large the food is fresh. The food is hot people are friendly definitely 10 out of 10 I've eaten at this place at least 100 times since I've lived in Ivy.

Donny ps is awesome! Just under 10 bucks for a burrito is great in San Diego. Driving down the strand is a dark hole (nice view tho) but Don Panchos is the light in the end.

The cheese enchiladas were delicious, also had a hard shell shredded beef taco. My friend had a shredded beef and cheese burrito, and she loved it. Loved the hot sauce and ordered chips. So, so good. It had a walk-up window for ordering which wasn't a problem, took it back to our hotel room. Would love to come back if ever in town again.

My favorite place in IB. The surf and turf burrito is the best! The rolled tacos and guacamole is solid. Good prices fast service.

Try the surf and turf burrito! So amazing! The sauce is delicious. Lots of shrimp and steak. AND the price is fair. What more could you ask for?

Tacos and taquitos are very good .. prices both too bad... people are super nice..... always people out front ordering.... Seating outside needs a lot of help

My husband and I had heard rave reviews about this place, so we were excited to try it. We went during breakfast hours. We both ordered breakfast burritos. The portions were large, but we both thought they lacked flavor and were very dry. Not a fan.

If you want a good burrito look no further! I definitely consider this place an imperial beach gem! Fast service as well! I also love that they have picnic tables so you can sit and eat if you want!

Great food and great prices. The shredded beef and bean burrito and carne asada burritos are my favorites

Ordered rolled tacos with guacamole and beef burrito and they never disappoint, easy to order on the phone to avoid long lines and just swing by to pick up.

My son and I have been getting Don Pancho burritos for many years. Yes the phone can be busy just press redial. It's the rare occasion when things weren't ready on time etc. On my way down to get some burritos right now!

Delicious!!!! Perfect breakfast burritos, great for placing orders for pickup as they prepare in 10 minutes.

A while back I wrote a review on their rolled tacos. A person from that fast food restaurant smugly responded, "Why are you yelling!?!!" Yes, they've been there for many years. Their rolled tacos are filled with ground beef and A LOT of white rice!! The amount of rice in their rolled tacos do not complement the flavor. With exception of the rice-filled rolled tacos, other items listed on the menu are, on the average, somewhat good. It's always packed with people at that fast food taco stand. It's mainly because it's the only taco stand that's conveniently located on the strand. I gave it a "one star" because of the smug reply to my review. You're supposed to be tactful. Encourage clients to come back, not discouraged them.

amazing food , excellent service. Always nice and fast. If you want great food in San Diego , Go to Don Ponchos

If you are hungry for authentic mexican cuisine then you are on the right spot. The tacos anre great and very tasty. The place is small but can accommodate you around the taco shop.

Where can you get a breakfast burrito for 7 bucks these days? I got the potato egg and cheese and the RED salsa and it was perfection. I also got their refried beans. They are the closest I have had from my trip to Mexico. My receipt was correct and I did have a surcharge of 50 cents. The POINT is and even the PRINCIPAL, is I will happily pay 7-8 bucks for a great burrito with a small surcharge to cover their charges being incurred from the bank processing my card. Delicious and I highly recommend. I also tried CAlifornia burrito, both great!

Food here is great! This establishment is outdoor only. Either call your order in or walk up and order. They have tables outside. They have a good sized menu in my opinion. We had California burritos. My kid ordered from the kids menu. Everything was delicious. Service is fast and friendly. They have a small parking lot and have social distancing markers on the ground. They do get busy, especially after church on Sundays. We will definitely be back again!

The best fish tacos of all time. Definitely recommend this place if your in the area or if you are willing to drive for some amazing tacos

Best burrito great service!! I don't know why I need 85 characters but I'll do it just for the heck of it.

I live by here and this place always has people there, often times many- which is an indicator for me that it's good. Finally tried it and it IS good! Got the carne asada fries without jalapeños and am pleased that there was no other source of spice on them, as my kids cant handle spicy. I must have got carne asada fries from at least 5 other taco shops before but this is the ONLY time my kids ate them Got rolled tacos: they were perfectly cripy on the outside, with the corn tortillas still soft inside; meat was also soft. The smooth guacamole wasn't watered down so that's greatly appreciated and respected. On top of it all, all the staff i interacted with were very friendly! I look forward to our future together, Don Pancho Ps, I understand the business is shortstaffed but a bit of tidying up in outside eating area would go a long way (floors were dirty and sticky, trash can was overflowing, and tables were dirty)

Best burritos ever! Need I say more. Value, service, quality. They are fast and friendly and reasonably priced. Just can't get enough of this goodness.

What can I say I used to love coming here there food was amazing the surf and turf burrito was my go to but lately every time I come back they always mess up my order if it's not one thing it's another. Last time they gave me an old burrito like what? I went there today ordered a surf and turf and I always look forward to eating the chipotle sauce that comes in it tell me why my burrito came without the chipotle sauce? Like what? And I ordered a California burrito no pico and they still put it in there. The ppl that work there are rude I definitely won't be coming back anymore to many chances.

We ordered from here and we got a carne asada burrito with pastor meat and that was delicious GET IT 8/10. We also ordered carne asada fries and they were TERRIBLE. They didn't even give me real cheese. When I opened the fries it was nacho cheese and the guacamole was more sour cream than guacamole. I even tried to put my own cheese when I get home, but sadly it didn't make it any better and it's still sadly sitting on my table at home. Use real cheese !!!!

First saw this in early '90's while visiting sister on the Strand. Passed by and really wanted to stop, not sure if the same name back then. A few more trips to SD and still passed by. Finally got to stop in 2018 during an extended stay. Reasonably priced, commensurate quality, but made me happy! Ordered too much, but had to get a California Burrito, and a fish taco. Wife got the Surf&Turf, but I ate most. Daughter enjoyed her quesadilla. Look forward to another trip back. Love San Diego! Found that Des Moines, WA, has a similarly themed/taste shop on Highway 99 that is much closer-just lacks the SoCal atmosphere.

Delicious no-frills food. The California burrito was incredible, and the other folks I ate with also loved the carnitas torta and the tacos

Outstanding Mexican food. Have had three or four different plates and all are very good. We live close by and walk most of the time to get our food. It is our go to place at least once a week. Pro Tip: Give them a call about 10 minutes ahead of time for pick up or sit down.

The food here is delicious. It's really hard to beat. My favorite is the white menudo. They also make really good chilaquiles and the cheese crisp with chorizo is yummy.

Zero stars. Soy cliente regular de don panchos taco shop por 3 años. Ahora noviembre 9 2023 a las 9:50pm o alrededor de esa hora Fui a comprar comida. Siempre compro dos ordenes de 3 mini tacos en combo con arroz y frijoles dos aguas frescas, y nachos de asada. La muchacha que estaba atendiendo me habló muy mal. Llegue y dije buenas noches, me dijo directo que quiere ordenar, de malas. Me dijo que no tenían combo ya y que me lo cobraría aparte, le dije que esta bien que lo cobre como sea. Y me grito " a como sea?" Empezó a marcar en la pantalla como loca y le dije o si me vas a hablar asi, no te da vergüenza hablarle y atender asi a la gente? Les pedí el número del dueño que yo se es Gonzalo y no me lo dieron. Para mi fue algo muy feo, así no se atiende, yo e ido ahí todos se portan bien conmigo, asta Casandra la hija de Gonzalo me a atendido bien, súper educada y con buena actitud. Si no les gusta el servicio al cliente que no trabajen servicio al cliente. Yo nunca había visto a esa mujer corriente ahí. Quisiera saber su horario para no ir cuando esté ella, le dije se me quitó el hambre ya, y la muy cínica se rio y me dijo bye bye.

My family and I have been coming here for decades. Never disappoints. Great crispy tacos, California burritos. Love the Chile Rellnos. The chips are so fresh. The refried beans are so smooth. The sauces are just right. Seems to be a busy spot. So I am not the only fan. Plus the service is positive.

Best Mexican food joint in imperial beach! Never fails to satisfy my taste buds and the service is excellent

This place is always so busy and I just don't understand why! The food is crazy expensive, ex... I ordered 2 tacos, tostada bowl and a flan. My total was nearly $20, now if the food and service was good...I'd pay that all day but I think it's hit & miss on both. Most of us just stop in because they're the only ones entering/exiting Palm/The Strand. So last night I stop in after work, place my order, the lady got 1 out of 3 correct so I repeated the order and the lady tells me she already got my order, I tell her no she got it wrong so I begin to tell her the order again and once again she repeats... I got your order with a what's the last thing(in Spanish because I do speak Spanish being Latina). By this point I'm annoyed, I tell her, you stopped me twice telling me you got my order and now you want me to tell you what the last thing was, so apparently you don't got my order down!? I again repeat my order as loud and slow as I can and she still gets it wrong, now I'm pissed shout my order and finally gets it correct. The cooks glance my way and all I can think is "great these guys don't know how rude or how many times I tried to get my 3 basic items ordered with this lady and will assume I'm just a jerk and now my foods going to suck!!" Yup our food sucked! My S.O didn't know what happened but said that was the worst tostada bowl he's ever had from Don Ponchos and my tacos, well let's just say I paid nearly $8 for 2 tacos for the trash! I will take my business elsewhere, getting off work grabbing a late dinner shouldn't be this bad all the way around. I'd rather take 5more mins of a drive and head down to Lunas Mexican food who's food seems good for being opened 24hrs and paying a little more is worth the peace of mind from poor customer service!!!

Food is delicious, unfortunately customer service is not good. As I'm heading over to this taco shop I'm calling to place my order, the phone gets picked up but no one says anything, So I patiently wait I parked and get off and the cashier hangs up without saying anything, I let her know that I was on hold and waiting for her and she says oh I didn't see anything on the phone. I show her my cell that I was on hold ( it wasn't busy, no one was on the line) later she gives me my food and it tips over and the sauce falls out. Cashiers Vero (in the receipt is days Vero) needs to have better customer service. I will take my business elsewhere. I'm not going to give my hard working money for this type of service.

Absolutely hate how stingy they are with the smallest salsas ever. What even is your problem!? Overpriced and not worth the splurge for taco shop food.

The food here is amazing and you get a lot for your buck, my only issue here is one of the cashiers that is always there, she is rude on the phone and in person is even worse, to top it off so unfriendly. Should not be in customer service. The chefs are amazing and friendly. I always order here for our company in Coronado but cringe every time I have to deal with this poor lady that needs training on how to treat people.

$7 for a big fat delicious carne asada burrito the line was nice and long (always a good sign) and the green sauce is great here!

These guys are experts in getting good, hot and good quality to you. Even during Covid this should be a must stop if you are hungry for consistent Mexican food. From the salsa to the burritos, all the items are delicious. Really impressed with the quality of the meat. Not gross and fatty like so many stands in the area. Sparked some great memories of going here years ago.

A local friend recommended this little place. It's basically a fast food restaurant with a couple tables outside. I tried an Asada torta...$7.25! I was pretty surprised at how big it was and how much meat was on my sandwich. But that's where the pluses end. The carne had no flavor. I definitely had to add lots of salsa on it to give it flavor. The bread was OK. There's a reasonable number of parking spaces but not lots of them. There were several people ordering and waiting so I was expecting something really good. This place might have tastier food and I just happened to have picked the wrong item. It won't be my first choice, but I might try this place again if I find myself in a pinch. Until then, it's a solid two stars.

I'm not a regular since I'm from the other coast, but in my honest opinion, the carne asada fries are always a hit with the group. I always get a breakfast burrito for the next morning when I go there as well.