Casa Palenque — Restaurant in McAllen

I took my wife to lunch at Casa Palenque, located on the expressway and McColl in McAllen. There's a tall sign out front so you can't miss it. After we were seated and placed our drink order,( my usual tea, my wife always drinks coke) we were given a plate of refried beans with shredded, seasoned chicken, tortilla chips, and a plate with three types of salsas, and Pico de Gallo. The chips were a little overcooked for my wife's taste but I tore them up. She ordered the tampiquena plate that comes with a cut of skirt steak, (unsliced fajitas to some), a chicken mole enchilada, a crispy beef taco, guacamole, rice and refried beans. Also, both plates came with tortillas so we opted for corn. My wife really liked her meal. I wanted to try something different so I ordered the Patitas en Salsa. ( Pigs feet in tomato sauce). They were cooked super tender, and the sauce had bell peppers and onions in it. Honestly, this sauce reminded me of one of my favorites I make at home. The plate came with a soup cup full of refried beans that was a bit too much, especially since we had a plate to start with. Rice would have worked really well with this sauce, too bad it was left out. Plus the plate did appear a bit empty and the rice would have helped fill the plate and added to the presentation. I liked how they presented the rice on my wife's plate. My wife loved her plate and I really enjoyed mine. For dessert we shared the chocolate cake with ice cream. The service was on point, the only flaw I saw was the server never picked up the drink menu from the table, even after several visits to the table. It was not in the way so I didn't mention it, but in the real world of top notch service it has to be accounted for. This is the first of all the Palenque restaurants that I have reviewed that didn't have any real issues. I am going to have to go back again to see if it is indeed the real deal! Only because of the experience I had at the Palenque Grill on my second visit. I do recommend Casa Palenque because the food and the home made corn tortillas are really good. Finally, I really wanted to add that I liked the open dining room concept, and even more is my wife and I really loved the original old school Musico Mexicano that serenaded us...

The food is good,but they love to keep your change. I was there on Sunday the change back was $13.47. The waitress brought back $13.00. she got a &5.00 tip which she didn't deserve, but I wasn't the one tipping so it's on the other person, but she kept $0.47 and she said nothing. When I ask about the change she made up some nonsense oh you want the change. Really? So her keeping something that is not hers is ok with her? So if she kept other customers change no matter the amount of how many cents it added up to, that small change adds to dollars at the end of the day. So if you go to this place, count your change make sure they give you back all of it even the small change. If not it's money in their pockets. Now if the customer tells them keep the change,well that's different,but don't keep something that is not yours. The $0.47 was returned, but no apologies were given by the waitress. I guess for her it's ok to keep something that doesn't belong to her. Oh I had a lemonade which was good,but was $4.00 for a not so large glass and no refills. You'd think for $4 one would get one free refill but nope. Their name should change to Casa count your change before you...

I was absolutely blown away by the delicious flavors and authentic dishes on offer. From the first bite, it was clear that the chefs here take great pride in their cooking.

The breakfasts were particularly noteworthy, with a range of traditional Mexican options that showcased the rich cultural heritage of the cuisine. The flavors were bold and vibrant, with just the right amount of heat and spice to wake up the taste buds.

One thing that really stood out to me was the breakfast promo of 2x1, which is a fantastic deal for those dining with a friend or family member. This allowed me to try even more dishes and fully indulge in the diverse and exciting menu.

Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an authentic and satisfying Mexican dining experience. The breakfasts are a definite highlight, and the 2x1 promo makes it an even better value for money. I will definitely be returning soon to sample more of the fantastic food...