Poncho's Mexican Food — Restaurant in Casper

This was my third try at this establishment. I try to give two tries before making a decision and posting reviews and today I was feeling generous as it was the closest place to get bean and a tortilla that wasn't an Americanized chain.

For my first and second visits to Poncho's in June, 2023, I ordered beans and rice with a tortilla. I went through the drive-through and waited 5 minutes before someone took my order at the drive up speaker. My order was simple. But the person helping me couldn't understand me. I drove up to the window and placed the order face-to-face and that went better on both occasions. The lady at the window was the same person during both visits and she was pleasant and friendly.

So, on to the food experience today. My tortilla was barely passable. It seemed like the typical handmade tortilla prepared with some kind of liquid oil vs lard. Sorry, but I'm wanting the real deal, folks. I was hoping for that tortilla with the toothy texture and identifiable flavor that only lard can give to a bakery or bread product. The beans were horribly laden with salt on both occasions and stung as they hit my tongue. Ugh. Unfortunately, it was impossible to take more than two bites without gagging and being in actual oral pain. Ok, maybe the pain is an exaggeration but I'm sure you've experienced something similar, right? Those poor beans went into the trash. The rice was old, dry and hard. Trash again.

Let's move on to today. I went through the drive,-through again. There were no cars ahead of me and no cars behind me. They weren't busy. The lot was empty. I waited 15 minutes. I tried to get their attention with my terrible attempt at a getting in Spanish. Maybe that's where I went wrong? The car ahead of me hadn't moved either. I drove around the ccar ahead of me who was sitting patiently still. I parked and went inside. I ordered a side of beans and rice. Once again, the lady taking my order was pleasant.

The order came up quickly. The dining area was gross. Dirty tables. Flies everywhere and the salsa bar had plastic lids in the salsa and the cross contamination between the condiments was evident. It seemed like the bar hadn't been attended to for some time. One of the salsa spoons was sitting on the ledge with flies on it.

So, into the food. Unfortunately, it doesn't get better. The beans were so salty that I couldn't take more than one bite. I don't understand the Mexican restaurants in Casper. They all dump cups of salt into their beans. Why? I appreciate the attention to ensuring we have sufficient sodium in our diets, but this too much love. I've been explored many cities throughout the nation and have been fortunate to sample the wide variety of American-Mexican, Tex-Mex, and sorta not really traditional-ish Mexican food. However, Poncho's and all of the other Mexican food establishments in Casper, Wyoming have an affinity for the salt shaker. I implore you - for the love of all things wonderful - step away from the salt shaker, please! The tortilla was hard and just the way I remember from my first and second visits; oily with that liquid oil texture and a touch of rancidity that scratches the back of the throat. Mmmmmm.....are you hungry yet?

Poncho's , you can do better. I know you can.

I'm going back to my "two strikes and you're out" policy for restaurants. The positive thing I can say for Poncho's is that it saved my diet...

We go here all the time and order the same exact thing just about every time. Which means we know the price of the meal. Well this time we go and order our regular and she tells us the price over the speaker and we pull forward. We wait for our turn at the window and as we get there the workers says the price of our food but it's not the same as what she just said over the speaker. Somehow between the speaker and window the price jumped up $8.00?! As the one I'm with start inquiring about it the worker seems annoyed with the questions being asked. So she explained that the price was increased because of the $3.99 upcharge for the shrimp. My friend says that still doesn't explain the $8 difference. The worker replies it just is. So frustrated by this time my friend says so you're telling me I am paying $18.00 for a burrito right now (just his burrito, not including my order.) she said yes exactly. So that's a negative. We did not end up getting the food. They should train the employees to be most customer service oriented and not change the price $8.00 before we get...

This was our first time, and we will be back!!! The last time that I had chile Rellenos this delicious was when they were made at the home of a talented Hispanic young woman who learned from her mother. My Rellenos were made from mild, large, green chillies that were fire roasted, then dipped in an egg batter and fried. These were so heavenly! They were accompanied by a couple of hand made flour tortillas the size of a small tablecloth, sour cream, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, refried beans and Spanish Rice prepared in the most authentic way of great Mexican food. My partner ordered a Carne Asada Burrito, and the beef steak carnitas (little chunks) were flame grilled and it looked and smelled as this dish should. Excellent! Pancho's Mexican Food delivers big time in a modest restaurant that looks like a fast food restaurant. True, we didn't have to wait long for our food to be ready. You order and pay at the counter, and wait to be called when it's ready. This is where the similarities to the average fast food place ends. THIS IS WHAT AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD...