Pancheros Mexican Grill - Okemos — Restaurant in Meridian Charter Township

It was the end of church Sunday and the group was deciding where to go to lunch. We wanted to stay within the area because we had an event that we were to attend that evening and only had a couple hours before we had to return to pack up the supplies for the festivities. Pancheros in Okemos was suggested. None of us had experienced a burrito from Pancheros before, but as avid Taco Bell, Qdoba, and Chipotle consumers, we had to try this mystery restaurant. I remember thinking: "Pancheros could be our IT place for Sunday lunches" "I'm so excited!" "I'll get chicken, cheese, and rice. That sounds safe." My chicken burrito turned out to be just okay and for paying $22 for my wife and I's burritos + 1 chip and a drink it was a bit pricey for just okay… We returned to the church to start loading up what we needed for the party but the youth minister was late to unlock the building. As we were standing outside the church waiting, my stomach started churning and I knew that if I didn't get to a restroom soon, I would have a mess on my hands. I couldn't take it anymore. I ran to the car and started praying that I could make it to a restroom in time. As I approached the stop light, I felt the poop start to make its way out the shoot. I was scared. I did not want to poop my pants! And of all the days for this to happen, this is one of the worst days. I started yelling at myself not to lose control. "NOOOOOO!!!!" I screamed! "YOU WILL NOT POOP YOUR PANTS" I yelled. It was almost not enough. If I had not ran that stop light or went 60 in a 45, I probably would've had to get rid of my car and been stranded naked on the street. I made it to McDonald's. I ran to the restroom to find it occupied. I can't believe it. But I run to the gas station next door, knowing that I soon won't be able to control it anymore, but having the hope that I'll be able to release the kraken once in the gas station restroom. I'm in the Speedway. I can see the bathroom door and notice that it is a one person bathroom. I start to run and as I'm about 5 feet from the door, a woman cuts me off. 'Click' I hear the door lock, all hope with it. I think "Will I poop my pants in this gas station?" I decide to go outside and find a spot behind the building to hide the disgusting thing I'm about to do. When I see the sign. The sign of a taco bell. I think it can't be true. None the less there it stands. A miracle from the heavens. I start to run. Not a graceful trot, but more like a man that is about to lose all that is within him. I reach the bathroom door and notice that no one is there. I'm alone. I jump on the toilet and let go. It was the worst hour of my life. Relief mixed with pain and shame is the best way to describe it. I could have been in that scene from Dumb and Dumber because I made all of those sounds. Eventually there was no poop left so my body started pumping out liquid from my butt. It was one of the worst feelings of my life. The liquid burned like boiling water coming out of my body. As I wiped, the poop burned through the toilet paper and contacted my hand. I almost threw up. But I composed myself enough to finish wiping and thoroughly cleanse my hands. I go back to the gas station and buy some pepto bismol or it’s going to be a long day. I start to get in my car when my stomach begins to churn once again. I start to cry. I run the McDonald's because once again, this was the closest toilet. This time though the Lord had compassion on me and the restroom was vacant. I spend another 15 minutes on the toilet because at this point there's hardly anything in my body anymore. I eventually was able to return to the church and have an enjoyable evening at the event. However, do not go near this Pancheros unless you are prepared to let Satan enter your stomach and leave like an injured manatee with a gimp out of your butt hole. It's not worth it people. There are much better burrito places out there where you can still enjoy your day after you consume your food. Don't make the same mistake I did. Find...

Pancheros really comes down to two things for me: freshly pressed tortillas and nostalgia.

The tortillas are the main reason to go a Pancheros restaurant. You don't know good tortilla flavor until you've had it freshly made right in front of you, and you don't get that at any other fast casual burrito place around here. There's so much flavor in that alone, before you add the rest of the perfectly seasoned and cooked components to your burrito, that it sometimes makes you want to order your burrito with a tortilla on the side or even double-wrapped. (In rare instances, when a burrito bursts open while being wrapped, I've received a second layer of tortilla as a "patch" for free.) Everything there is made so well.

Nostalgia also plays a major role in this. Let's be honest, it's still a fast casual burrito place with the shortcomings of service. My experiences there (and I've visited quite often) haven't always been the best. I can't say I've had a horrible experience, but there have been some that rank as simply not as good as others. But I've been going to Pancheros since college. I went to the other big school in the state, not the one down the street. The Pancheros there was where we went on Friday nights after the comics shop and the arcade. We'd inhale el gordo burritos (which they've renamed as something much more tame now) and hang out later than we should have. Pancheros simply held up better for us than the competition. I'm sure recipes have changed over time, but it still takes me back to the fun times -- even at a different location.

And that's what we want from a restaurant, right? We just want good food and to feel...

Was very disappointed tonight. Been coming to this poncheros for 12 years. Came in at 9:15pm. Over half of of options were not even on the line. Other half of line was maybe 5% to 10% full. When I asked why they said it was because they close at 10pm. Now I have worked food for many years and a stickler to have everything done so I can walk out as soon as possible after close but not when it effects the quality of your job. Take a lil pride in your work ethic. Tonight was pathetic. Was sheer laziness. To have 3 people working and nothing prepped or even doing anything to replenish the line was just sad. Just having a jolly time with no sense of work ethic just showed how much they truely didnt care. I want them to enjoy their coworkers and their environment but your at work and that comes first. Try atleast. I can understand OMG we were slammed and they were working to replenish the stock. Shoot I've tipped their many times in the past. To say cause we close at 10pm was pathetic excuse to check out early. Im easy going would of completely understood a rush and would of been sympathic if they were trying. Was not the case. Talk about not even doing full scoops so they wouldn't have to cook. If my niece had not been there I would of walked out and refused to pay for it. Check below for pic of not even half full a container....