Food is delicious, Nice presentation. Service is excellent server very nice

It really baffles me as to why there are any bad reviews here... We found this gem on doordash , and it's the only place I've found with a really amazing Mexican food around here. We decided to eat in house a few weeks ago and I was so Happy to see that the environment was cozy, and clean and the staff were very friendly. It wasn't that busy, and I don't understand this because we have had perfect service every time. And delicious food!!! And I'm really picky about my food and environment

Loved the atmosphere. The staff was friendly and the food was great!

Great food, fast service, and the music sets an authentic atmosphere ♥️

Beautiful atmosphere and food was amazing. Such a great vibe.

My nephew had his swimming championships at a highschool around the corner. He wanted some Mexican food so we went here. It was about 8pm and they closed at 9. They still managed to take out table of 8 without any issues.

Mexican staff and menu is genuine, not like Taco Bell situation. Consistently good food, with nice combos and a large menu to choose from. I can't handle super spicy food, and there are selections that are fine for me, plus you can ask the staff for advice. Quick service, and also fun decor.

Caught my attention from the blvd, finally tried it, and enjoyed this dig! Ordered a Burrito California, which was no less than excellent! Wouldn't say this place is romantic, but there's intimate seating available for a nice quiet setting. Tableside margaritas, chips, fresh salsa & genuine service - gets 5 star experience from me. Conveniently located nearby to thrifts. Will come back, lots to try!

Went here with my husband and mother-in-law, and we had a blast! Everything was fantastic, even the chips and salsa brought to the table before you order. Well seasoned, fantastic portions and excellent staff. Would recommend El Palenque to anyone in the area.

Very nice Excellent service Delicious food We can’t wait to come again!

The servers are friendly, the food is good and plentiful, and the lunch prices especially rock. I don't love the dinner prices for the value, but when I get an appetizer and split an entree with my husband, that's a perfect amount of food for both of us for dinner. I ate here all the time for lunch as a vegetarian because it was close to work and the price was right. Now that I'm not vegetarian, I've branched out to their other dishes and those are tasty too. Last visit I wasn't feeling anything heavy, so I ordered the tortilla soup. Holy freaking moly, this is the best chicken tortilla soup I have ever had!!! I've had a lot, as the very first restaurant I worked at had a pretty good one, and ever since I moved away I've been looking for a replacement. This one blows it out of the water. So very good. I would be back anyways because it's a good restaurant, but I'll definitely be making special visits just for their tortilla soup. Try it!

Excellent food! Friendly and helpful staff. Frozen Margaritas are huge! We've had pretty much everything on the menu either in-house or take-out. Never disappointed, always delicious and well prepared.

they did put meat in my vegan dish, so they had to remake it but I've been there for YEARS and that was one incident. food is good. Be specific or it'll be the way THEY have it if you like food done a certain way. margaritas are bomb.

First thing I liked about the place was interior design which was also accompanied with music: so Mexican so Cozy. Staff are not good, they are great. Very friendly and polite. The food was Awsome for quality and quantity and the price. I don't remember the name of food but it had rice beans steak and chicken with taste cheese sauce ( I added the picture). It is not in my way but I may go again with my friends if some of them has a car.

Under new ownership interior has been updated. Staff was pleasant. New menu and a nice selection of food choices. Will be back

Always great food, and friendly servers. The portions are large for the price and the quality is astounding. Try anything, you will not be disappointed!

The food was absolutely delicious and the service was wonderful. So many vegetarian options. I can’t wait to come back!

Delicious food , awesome waiter, just a all around great place for a great meal!!

Is no longer a Mexican place. Is a colombian bakery and restaurant. The best colombian food in western Nee York

The food here is really great. The service was fast and the staff is friendly. I will definitely be coming here again. Also a plus side, giant margaritas.

Food, service & atmosphere all very good. Music could have been turned down a bit but then I'm old!!

They just reopened and wow. The new menu is a welcome, the food is extra tasty and the service is great! Looking forward all the coming additions, events and being a new regular. Carmen, our sever was fantastic, attentive and very friendly. Thank-you!

Definitely different from the normal boring restaurants. Taco Tuesday and DJ spinning the Tunes.

Was a good experience, great food and fantastic customer service. I enjoy the margaritas and enchiladas with a good atmosphere and music.

New menu at El Palenque, but same excellent food. Service was excellent as always. Had a great conversation with the manager about tequila and am looking forward to some interior updates he is planning.

I really enjoyed the Green Chili Enchiladas and the server was very friendly.

+3

Im visiting buffalo and stopped here with my brother last night. This is place is a Colombian restaurant with some of the best food i think i ever had. Service was great, everything was hot and fresh, i was so full like i left a family dinner.

Great new Colombian ownership, very good food! Also good for vegetarians/pescatarians.

zatoichi101

Love El Palenque!!! We affectionately sometimes call this Mexican Denny's because it used to BE Denny's! Food is great! And they added a new bar!!!

Lynn Von Hassel

Excellent, quick service. Very courteous staff. So much delicious food! Leftovers for tomorrow!! Thank you!!

eric smith

Amazing food, great selection, awsome Mexican food... you definitely have to try.

Migdalia Ruiz

The vibe ans food were excellent. DJ even asked if we had any special requests.

Karen State

Fantastic new entrees and added bar area. Love the updates!

Lori Ann Woods

We have loved this restaurant for many years, but haven't been there for a bit. They have changed the menu and are updating the inside. It is even better than before. The service is fast and the food is delicious. Highly recommend!

Abigail Kerkezis

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant by far. I found it while finishing up my degree at UB and it was the perfect find. The meals were affordable and the drinks were amazing. Salsa is delicious and I always eat more than I should while there. They recently did renovations and the inside looks amazing!!! The food prices did increase which was sad to see, but it’s understandable why. They also adjusted the menu and removed some of my favorite options but I always manage to find something else I enjoy regardless. The food still is amazing and salsa is still the same as it was before. I never have had a complaint. The service is amazing too. Even if I’m the only table on the restaurant, I don’t mind. All staff are friendly and food comes out extremely fast. I enjoy the authentic feel of the location and the home style tastes they put on the dish’s. It’s hard to explain if you haven’t been to the restaurant to eat. This is by far my favorite place to eat in Buffalo and I always try to bring people there whenever I can. If you haven’t been here, I’d say make time to go. It’s definitely worth it

LINDA PARTYKA

Food was excellent. Seasoned perfectly. Food was hot when served. Shrimp was perfectly cooked.

Jessica ONey

This place was a gem!At one point, we were the only ones in the restaurant, that's the only reason it gets 4 stars there. But it was a Tuesday evening anyway. The food was delicious,they had great specials going 3.99$ margaritas and 1$ tacos. Everything was presented beautifully, each dish colorful and festive, it really seemed like you were eating at a more high scale restaurant,but without high scale prices. The menu is huge, so many options

nate H

Amazing food and service every time. The atmosphere is always great. One of the best spots in the area. Great for parties, dates or just eating alone. Never left here without a smile. Always leave with a full belly. Good portion sizes. Man I love this place

Jelly-Os

The food tasted amazing as well as the aesthetic of the plate. The servers were quick with care, and Carmen was lovely to speak with. This business is up and growing, and pleasure to have in Buffalo.

Jeannine M

Food was very good and the tres leches cake was delicious- and a sharable portion.

Jermaine Long

Food is great service was great my server was very stand checked on me on a regular basis. Taco Tuesday was a success and the fries ice cream was the Top off. Please come and join me on Tuesday. The Music is great and they have Pepsi Products and $2.00 margaritas

molly davoli

Under new ownership. Music playing when walking in. Greeted and sat right away. All new workers. Menu is changed as well. I got the pollo con crema, it now comes with corn. They also have soft corn tortillas.

Came her for my sister's birthday. Ambiance was perfect. Almost empty, quiet mariachi music playing softly in the background, quirky decorations. The menu included everyone's favorite dish. And chips and salsa were served almost immediately! It was wonderful. The staff was friendly and hospitable. Food was served piping hot, although I've tasted better. Plus the outside of the restaurant needs some TLC, with an overgrown yard and unruly rose bush. Overall, a solid 4 stars. Thank you, El Palenque!

Wednesday night at 7;30, fast service, hot delicious food within 10 min of order placed. Yummy chips to hold us over. Flexible on my enchilada order and able bodied staff hustling around. Only "complaint" if I had to make one is no check-up on us after delivery and more napkins. Overall darn good meal!

Started meal with their chips and salsa. The chips were crispy and warm. The salsa was pretty tasty with a perfect consistency, Didn't get to finish the salsa due to a fly landing in it. I ordered up some Birria Tacos with a side of rice n beanz. The corn tortillas overpowered the taste of the Birria. The consume was seasoned well. Rice and beanz were standard issue. The server never came back to check on me. I had to get up and ask for a refill of my drink. Overall this place was ok. At $25 for the meal, it was not worth it to me. Not somewhere I would eat again.

Probably the fastest, cheapest, best Mexican food in Buffalo. I'll be honest, the tables are always sticky and first time I went in I was skeptical but the excellent quality of the food keeps us coming back! Never ordered a bad dish. Prices are low, portions are big, and service is fast fast fast! We joke that they must know what we want before we walk in the door they're so fast!

Nice polite great service and the food a delight! Will be back. Delicious

I loved my dish but it was small for the price. The chicken is actually cut super thin.

There food was awesome! I loved the chips and slasa!

+6

Marcus Veytia

First time visit to El Palenque. I ordered the #1 from the lunch menu — chile relleno & beef ground beef) taco, served with refried beans and shredded lettuce topped with a dollop of guacamole. The chile relleno was filled with seasoned ground beef. I’m accustomed to a cheese filling but the taste of the seasoned beef was pretty good. The taco and the beans, however, were so-so. Overall it was a good value of $8.50 for the dish.

Good Mexican food in a city starved for it. Food isnt too expensive and the chips and salsa are delicious. Staff is a bit inattentive and slow. Especially if they are slow. Only saw our waiter once after food was delivered and took forever to get more water. But a decent restaurant

We have been going here for years and this was formerly a 5 star for me. Last visit a week ago, my chicken and shrimp fajitas, which used to be loaded with deliciously scorched green peppers and onions, had almost no veggies. Instead, it came with what I would say was 1/2 of one pepper and 3-4 slivers of onion. My husband's fish meal, which he orders every single time, was also smaller... He normally takes home half. This, time, he ate his usual amount and the plate was almost empty. I'm not exaggerating. I mentioned it to the server. She agreed with me about the fajitas, but no action. Denied the fish meal was smaller. 3 stars are for the flavour of the food overall and the delicious complimentary salsa and freshly prepared tortilla chips. However, doubtful we'll return. What a shame!

Not my favorite Mexican restaurant but it is okay. I think we just had a bad server who neglected us.. The food's flavor was great! Only issue was the portions were so small for the price. The entres either came with rice OR beans. Not both. My lime margarita tasted like the bottle mixer stuff you buy in the store.

Food was decent. Service was ok...but the server was very annoyed when I needed more time to order and when I asked a question on the menu. She brought us what we needed. My husband did really like the fajitas! They had great flavor. I had some kind of Grande plate. It was good... but everything tastes the same. The enchildas tasted like the taco...the other two things were similar. I didn't get a margarita tonight...but I've had them there before. They are giant and yummy!

So 😅 super awkward and kind of funny story. We came in for dinner on a Friday night, 8:30-9pm I think, late but still not that late for a Friday night. Place was very quiet and I think we were the last table to sit. My aunt wanted just the single tacos, she asked the server if they came with any veggie toppings. Very harshly he said "no, nothing" and then stared her down. 😂 Not that it was wrong exactly, but in those moments, a server can opt for kindness and ask if she would like that, for a small upcharge possibly. Staff just felt ready for us to leave, they had the whole place ready to close basically by the time we left. Mopping the floors while we finished eating.

It was slow. The service was a little weird. We had to ask for more waters and additional napkins ( they were expensive to give everyone more than . The food was okay, it felt pretty salty. The queso was great. Everyone was nice enough-but I wouldn’t be excited to return

Very tasty steak & chicken fajitas for two. Although, kind of pricey for the quantity delivered. Wife & I are not big eaters and we had no problem finishing the entree & wanting more. Past portions were much larger than what we recd this time. Actually looked like a single order.

Good food and service, delicious fried ice cream

Rogue Trippers

Day of visit: sunday, nov 5, 2023 Meals: santa fe chicken salad Honey chicken chipotle Arroz con pollo Free nacho chips and salsa are delivered to tables Our Server was a bit matter of fact, and a bit indifferent. Pleasantries were only offered at the end of the meal. The Restaurant could use some updating in its decor. Its a bit dated and has seen better days. The food was very good. We all enjoyed our meals a lot. The food is Well prepared and tasty. The food was served fairly quickly as well. Prices were very reasonable.

+4

Michael Chernoff

The food and drinks available are very affordable but I'm used to slightly bigger portions. A little more beans and rice would be nice. Salsa and chips were very good, spicy! I recommend getting chicken entrees here. Vegetarian options were bland unfortunately. The wait service was very attentive and fast delivery of orders. Lots of seating for big parties too.

William Bechtel

Not too reasonably priced. No refried beans or cheese sauce on the burritos or enchiladas. Small amount of sauce was placed on my meal. Kids meals included grilled which had a good taste but were very small pieces.

+1

Mark Fernandes

Nice location, good prices and decent portions. The service isn’t the greatest, appears to be family owned, but they don’t check on you or get refills or anything for your drinks. I wasn’t overly impressed, but then the food came. I had the Enchiladas 3 ways special which was awesome and my wife had a combo plate which was also very nice. I don’t live in Buffalo but I go down a couple times a year, this is definitely a place I’ll return to on my next visit.

Been coming here for years, has gone way downhill. Almost empty on a Saturday. Ordered a chicken dish that came with tortillas (which we've ordered a dozen times), told it does not come with tortillas and when we protested that it has always come with tortillas was told "the new menu came out a few minutes ago" ?! Very sad to see this happen, it used to be a great place.

Honestly very disappointed in the new menu. My friends and I have been coming here monthly for over a decade and it was our favorite Mexican spot. We came after they changed the menu and nearly all of my friend groups' "regular orders" were taken off of the menu, and even the queso tasted differently. My one friend who did have their typical menu item still on the new menu, ordered it, and it was not at all the same item that they would previously get. Not sure if it's new management, but really disappointed and I don't know if we will be returning unless they switch back to former items/recipes.

I have not much to say but Salty food ,beans tasted like they came from a can. Sorry I couldn't eat no more.... this place looked nice but Not what I expected......

Dined in. Asked about the Chicken Chipotle Special. Waiter returned and repeated verbatim off the board I saw at the entrance. Yeah, that's helpful. And, should have been labeled as dangerously hot. The Chipotle peppers weren't anything to treat lightly. Dug them out of the entrée and the chicken was tasty. However, the refried beans were unacceptable thin and runny and rice not much more flavorful than straight out of a box of Uncle Ben's. Oh, no tortillas with the entrée? Mexican restaurant, eh? Maybe for a mall food court, but not much else.

I wonder when the last time the salt and pepper shakers were washed? Sticky greasy caked up mess. Food is mediocre, service was mediocre, waiter never came back to check to see how I was doing, I wanted another beer but couldn’t even flag him down. A good waitstaff person should survey their tables as passing by. Visit was a true disappointment.

Place went down hill. Food quality is zero chef must not have a clue. See this picture of nachos supreme....presentation is garbage I'm hungry I may eat it because I'm starving and risk praying to the porcelain gods tomorrow... Shame their prices were always good for good authentic Mexican food. Now you're better off going to mighty sloop-o for Mexican cuisines. Get back on track guys you got a great location id hate to see another restaurant go under.

Came in, got seated and they forgot about us. We waited 20 minutes with no one to take our order so we got fed up and left. 3 servers behind the counter with their thumb up their butts. I get better customer service at an abandoned gas station. At least there you might find a homeless man to ask you for change, but certainly more interaction than their servers would give you.

1- Horrible service; waitress walked away as soon as she would put something on the table. The waitress never asked if she could get anything. If the waitress doesn’t ask how the food is... obviously it’s not a good place to eat because they don’t care about quality. 2- Another server brought me the wrong ticket after having to get up to request the ticket due to lack of service. I could not tell the ticket was incorrect because all I received were amounts with no description. The server had to chase me as I was walking out to insist on me running my credit card again. I understand that people make mistakes but off the back, he should have been apologetic and approached the situation better. 3- Food was not up to par; certainly not authentic. Fried food was soggy. The chips were stale. The margarita was a pre-mix from a supermarket. On a side note- menu was extremely long and too many options. I am not one to typically write reviews but it irritated me that I was offering my constructive criticism to three employees and each employee became offensive. This is a place of service. Customer service is key so you should always want to know what your customers think to always progress from complacency. Just my recommendation... take a hard pass.

First off, the menu had left over food on it. We got an attitude when we asked to have it cleaned. The server was totally rude overall. The food was cold. We one of the plates taken away and they still wanted to charge for it overall a bad experience. I will not ever go there again. Also the bathroom had a pool of urine on the floor. The health department should close this place down. However the Corona beer was good. It was the only thing I we enjoyed.

So this happened a while ago last yr but I was told I should post about it. The workers in there are sooo friendly!! They really are, but this place gave me violent food poisoning last year. Like, I thought I was going to die it was that bad. I just want to warn people about that.

Awful experience. What ever you do do not order the #33. It’s an anemic dish, no sides, not even garnish. The flavor was weak and it was served lukewarm at best. The service was below subpar. It was as if my server had no idea how to describe what was on the menu. Cleanliness was questionable, I’d give it three out of five. To top it all off the cashier verbally tried to bully me into tipping! Not once but three times.., with attitude? It felt like I was in the midst of a comedy. I have a few tip for you.., clear your tables, serve food hot, improve your hospitality and take the #33 off the menu, now!!!!

Go Here To Get Annoyed by rude and angry behaviour of staff. Looked like nice Mexican restaurant. The food was delicious. But ... the waiter got our order wrong twice and wouldn't accept his mistake. Another waiter who we mentioned this to wouldn't give a hoot about it claiming he didn't take the order and therefore he does NOT care. He became visibly angry, mumbled something in Spanish. What he said and tone was not polite. When I paid the bill I didn't add a tip because of the terrible attitude of the waiters. This made the cashier angry and he asked us to leave the restaurant. Sure we were leaving but rather upset by the behavior of the entire staff. I have tried reaching Lily who I believe is the manager there, but she is never available. I am surprised this place has not been shut down. Keep away from this place.

Service is extremely poor, and the food quality matches the service...very poor! The chicken wasn't fresh at all, and seemed like frozen food just warmed up in a microwave. Fried ice cream wasn't fried but just regular ice cream served.... disappointing!! To add to that the staff is extremely rude and literally try to bully you to tip more even though service is third class!! Piece of advice....do not go here as there's plenty of good places around Buffalo you can go to and enjoy much better food!

The soup is over priced and didn't even look or taste like tortilla soup it was a big disappointment. The carne asada is also over priced considering the portion size not to mention the meat was marinated in a hot sauce to kill the smell of the meat. Overall I payed too much got out hungry and now I'm a bit grumpy. I barely had enough time to make it to the toilet after this delicious meal.

My friend and I went here for Cinco De Mayo. We DID wait 15 minutes before we were seated by a woman with dark red short hair. We were sat at the first table next to the kitchen window. We were RIGHT NEXT TO the, I guess you could call it, the hostess/cashier counter. In clear view of all of the servers. Our server took our drink order and drinks and chips were served. The server was gone for over 45 minutes. We know the times because we were sending text messages, one of which wad one of the decor. We asked a male employee where our server and food was and he went to the kitchen window. He came back and told us that our order was the second one coming out. As we continued to wait we noticed that the two groups of guests that were sat before us as well as the couple that sat after us cashed out and left. We even spoke to one of the couples that were shocked we didn’t have our food yet. After waiting, and additional five minutes, timer on our phones, we left and saw our server taking care of TAKE OUT! I called the restaurant on my way home to explain to the manager why we left. I spoke with a girl that said she was the manager. Then, after I explained what happened, she said she was speaking to me because she was the only person there that spoke fluent English. I called three additional times to speak with a manager but was continually told he was not there. I spoke with my friend that said she posted our experience here and the restaurants response was they saw us on video and that we sat ourselves. That was where the confusion was. 1. I have a degree in Restaurant management and I am very aware of working in a busy restaurant 2. I have worked as a server for YEARS and I would NEVER be ignorant and seat myself. 3. Being that I have worked in restaurants for years, it was surprising that you didn’t take names down for seating. You made guests wait on their own. Clearly your system failed you. Let’s just give you the benefit of the doubt, for kicks and giggles. Even if what you said is true and we sat ourselves, which we didn’t, 1. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE ACTUALLY APPROACH OUT TABLE FOR 50 MINUTES? 2. WHY did we have drinks at our table? 3. WHY did we have chips and salsa? Did we ALSO bring them in with us when we sat ourselves down? 4. WHY was our order the second next order to come out of the window? Clearly someone sent the ticket to the kitchen. Own your mistake. Stop lying about it. Have some self respect!!

My friend and I went here today for Cinco De Mayo. Yes we expected it to be busy. We waited for about 15 minutes to be seated- not bad. It took about 10 mins before our waitress took our drink order and food order. After our drinks were delivered she disappeared. 45 minutes later we questioned the manager because the people who were sat 2 minutes before us and the ones sat after us were already at the register and leaving and we still didn't have our food. We even thought maybe our waitress left because we hadn't seen her all that time. He said we were the second ticket. We set a timer and after 5 more minutes we just left. 1 1/2 hours just too long for a salad and fajitas!!! Can only recommend the chips and salsa cause that's all our waitress brought. Contrary to your response and supposed camera- we were seated by your staff. The people behind us tried " skipping the line" because I was seated on your bench because I cannot stand for very long. So your staff seated us to the left. Our order was taken - we were brought chips and our drinks so I don't really understand your supposed confusion. I think it it a bad response

Very disappointed. I ordered my food as take out on their website. When I went to pick it up, the woman at the counter asked my name , she grabbed a bag tossed it on the counter and walked away. Very unprofessional. I looked for a receipt to see if I received the correct food and there was nothing. I took it home hoping we got the right food. Now for the food presentation. I believe they got it right, but wasn't 100% sure. I ordered 1 taco, 1 burrito and refried beans. Everything was thrown into a tinfoil dish all together. The refried beans was like a grayish brown soup while my hard shell taco was sitting in it making it a soggy soft shell. The burrito was thin and I had to eat everything with a fork because there was no way to pick it up to eat it as most people do with a taco and burrito. My wife's dinner was not much different. She had a burrito and enchilada and you couldn't tell the difference between the two. The only saving grace on this experience was that the food had some good flavor where it was good enough to eat it all. Than again, so does Taco Bell or Mighty Taco . I will never use El Palenque as a choice for any of my dining. This is all I have to say about that.

Food is really good as always but prices went up. The service was awful. Took forever for refills asked for more salsa the young waiter said no. We spent almost $100 I would have thought we could get more salsa. Took forever just to get napkins. It was not busy only one other table had people. Ridiculous.

Our female server was rude and in a rush to take our order. It was 2 o’clock today 8/26/20. There was not one lunch special that included shrimp. I am a pescatarian and cannot eat meat or chicken for health/digestive/medical issues. I was told I could not substitute shrimp instead of the chicken or add shrimp to the lunch mushroom entree as shrimp is expensive. I am well aware of this and was willing to pay the extra $$. I had no choice but to order off the dinner menu that was double the price. There was a mini taco shell salad that came with the meal that consisted of lettuce, a slice of tomato and some type of guacamole mixture that was already turning brown. The taco shell was stale. When I mentioned it to our server she said, oh you are not supposed to eat that, THE SMALL SHELL IS INEDIBLE. You are only to eat the large taco shells. This was not stated on the menu or stated when the dish was served. I have never heard that the salad served in a mini taco bowl was inedible! I asked for a side of rice instead. I thought the server would take something off our bill as the rice side was $3.00. When we cashed out, I complained to the gentleman as we were cashing out and he stated that the server was the owner. NO EXCUSES!!! I will never go back to this restaurant again due to the poor service and stale food. In today’s economy, I always tip 20%, not today. I only tipped 15% based on the service and stale food. As we were walking out I heard them talking about me in Spanish which I understand. So rude! No apology from the owner/server for the bad service or stale food. Very disappointed in our lunch today.

The service was terrible and for that alone, I would give it a negative. The food taste good but barely any meat, mostly bell peppers and onions. Went for lunch(12:30pm) and ordered off the lunch menu but was charged dinner prices because I asked for mixed meat. It would have been the same price for 2 meals ( 1 of each ) and I would have mixed it myself with a lot more food. We should have been told once we said lunch special but the waitress didn’t say anything and she only came to the table to bring the food and not again to see if anything was needed. Disgusting and I will not be back

$11 for 3 very underwhelming, under filled tacos. This is one I can add to my life regrets. Not even remotely qualifying for a quality taco in taste either.

I came here hopeful for at least something to satisfy my hunger. A very low bar to pass. I ordered a Tamale and my friend ordered the birria tacos. What we received, was what I can only describe as a crime scene. A very grisly crime scene. The tamale that I received looked like it was constructed by toddlers. The cheese and sauce was horrifically split, and it was messily splattered all over the tamale. The pan I received it in, was soaked in oil and grease. The worst part of all was what looked like a bite mark in my tamale. I bite mark. After seeing all of this, I couldn't in good health take a single bite of my food; genuinely being concerned for my health. One of my friend's tacos was lacking meat entirely. 1 of the 3 mind you. There was also no rice and beans present in the dish or any of the side containers we received. To make the insult worst, I was verbally promised on the phone, that the birria tacos included rice and beans. My advice to anyone considering eating at this restaurant, is to steer clear and not look back. Do not make my mistake.

Worst food/service I have ever had in quite a while.. Took one bite and could not go any further. Staff did not seem to care. Did not offer another dish or entree comp either. Sad. Save your money

I’ve been coming to El Palenque since I was a child with my mother and grandmother, I’m now in my 20s and this place has always held a special place in my heart. Unfortunately, today was my first time back in about a month or so, and it was clear that the restaurant is now under new management. A lot has changed, and not for the better. Right when me and my bf walked in, we were hit with heat instead of the usual refreshing A/C. We were seated quickly, but then waited 30–45 minutes for our food. During that time, we ran out of chips and drinks, and our waitress never once came to check in. Our queso sat and hardened on the table while we watched her prioritize what seemed to be family members, close friends, and DoorDash drivers over the rest of the dining room, all while our empty cups and basket sat clearly in view. When our food finally arrived, we were completely disappointed. The rice and beans, which used to be our favorite was drastically different. The beans had a bitter, unpleasant taste, and the rice lacked flavor while being filled with vegetables that were never in the original recipe. The ground beef that came inside of our tacos and enchiladas also had vegetables mixed in it. The chips were thinner and almost dissolved in our mouths with no crunch, a far cry from the hearty, homemade chips we once loved. The queso tasted different too, and not in a good way. We both ordered somewhat of our usual dishes, but the menu has completely changed. Not to mention the quality was nowhere near what it used to be. This used to be our go-to hidden gem, the food would come out hot, fresh, and in 10–15 minutes max, no matter how busy it was. The previous staff was attentive, professional, and consistent. Sadly, that’s no longer the case. We left disappointed and honestly heartbroken. This place was special to us, but it’s now just another average spot with subpar service and food. We likely won’t be returning.

Understaffed on a Friday. Young guy who was serving was super rude. Served beer that was expired. Food was mid at best

My recent visit to El Palenque left me deeply disappointed and disheartened. What should have been a pleasant dining experience quickly turned into a clear example of neglect, poor service, and what felt like discriminatory treatment. My partner and I were seated and then ignored for nearly 40 minutes. No one came to take our order. No one stopped by to check on us. Meanwhile, tables around us received prompt service and attentive care. It was evident that we were being deliberately overlooked, and the uncomfortable truth is that it seemed rooted in bias. We were forced to call the restaurant from our table just to get someone to acknowledge us and take our order. When our food finally arrived, it was cold, and though our server claimed they would speak with a manager, no follow-up occurred. Not until we walked up ourselves to request the check did anyone offer to address the situation, and by then, it felt like an afterthought too little, too late. Restaurants are meant to be welcoming spaces for everyone. No one should have to wonder whether their identity will determine the quality of their service. Sadly, at El Palenque, that was our reality. I hope this review encourages the management to reflect on how inclusivity, respect, and basic hospitality are not optional they are essential. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, no matter who they are or who they love.

Spent nearly $40 on 2 tacos and 2 orders of queso. $12.50 for each queso and no chips were given. I asked for them at pick up and was told they don't come with the queso?! How else does the normal everyday person eat queso? With a spoon?! Cashier wanted $6 for a brown lunch bag and I couldn't even pay for them because they could not provide me change for a $100 bill. Not my fault, but wouldn't even let me have them for their own lack of change. I also asked in the special instructions to add lettuce inside my tacos, and sour cream on the side. Nothing was given. Not even lettuce. Tacos were drowning in sauce and the chicken was so overcooked it looked like beef. This establishment has lost my business due to such a poor experience. I'll be sure to tell my family and friends it's far from worth it and to avoid at all expense.

Raul Luciano

I will give one star for the nice waitress we had. But other than that, I would give negative stars if I could. You can’t make a reservation so we had to wait for almost an hour in line to get a table, ok, we chose to wait so whatever. Then we ordered drinks and they tasted like kool aid with ice, the most bland margaritas I’ve ever had. I ordered fish tacos and birria tacos, I swear to god a 5 year old could cook something better. It was barely edible. Not only that but the birria tacos had basically nothing in it other than cilantro and onions (look at the picture). The fish tacos had some sort of ground fish meat in it that I’ve never seen before, looked like cat food or something. No seasoning, no flavor, nothing, it was the same as buying a tortilla at a grocery store and eating it as is. Then we went to pay the bill (which is not itemized so you don’t know what each price corresponds to), and the waitress said we could just not pay separately, it had to be all in one card (we were a party of 4). I’ve been in many bad restaurants and I try to review them based on their strengths too but this one deserves an award for the worst in Buffalo.