By When you find your way into Pancho’s Mexican restaurant you are always welcomed with a smile.
Located off East Pacific Coast Highway, Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant is only 1.6 miles away from Long Beach State. This restaurant is affordable for students who have an appetite but are on a tighter budget. Most combination plates are around $10 and include an entrée with beans, rice, and a salad or soup.
It’s almost always a full house. the walls are decorated with awards the restaurant has received, the lighting dim, and the smell of authentic Mexican food surrounds you. The waitresses continuously check on you to ensure you are receiving quality service, along with receiving your food in a timely manner.
It’s almost always a full house. the walls are decorated with awards the restaurant has received, the lighting dim, and the smell of authentic Mexican food surrounds you. The waitresses continuously check on you to ensure you are receiving quality service, along with receiving your food in a timely manner.
According to Mel, a waitress that has worked at Pancho’s for 33 years, the menu hasn’t changed much, and the same customers continue to come year after year to enjoy their favorite Mexican dishes.
“Nothing’s changed, that’s why it is the way that is, and that’s the special thing about it,” Mel said.
Every year, Beachcomber hosts the annual contest “The Best of Long Beach Winner” in order for the public to find the best restaurants, bakeries, and more.
As of 2021, Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant is the 17-time Gold winner of Best Mexican Restaurant in Long Beach.
Two of the 17 "The best of Long Beach Winner" awards Pancho's received. Photo credit: Julia Simpson
Throughout COVID-19, it was a time that restaurants began to shut down due to not being able to have customers dine inside. During that time Pancho’s stayed open only for to-go orders.
“We were very lucky that many people came in for to-go orders,” Mel said. “People were very generous.”
Regular customers continued to order take-out, and because of their generosity towards the restaurant, Pancho’s prevailed through the hardest times of COVID-19 and is now open for indoor, outdoor, and to-go orders.
One customer, in particular, Jaisey Higuera, expressed that she and her family have been going to Pancho’s for ages.
Born and raised in Long Beach, Pancho’s has been her go-to Mexican Restaurant and if she could recommend it to someone that hasn’t been before, she’d rate it an “11 out of 10.”
“My favorite item on the menu is shredded beef taquitos with rice and beans,” Higuera said. “Also I love the kid’s salsa with chips, and I won’t go without ordering it.”
Mel stated in the 33 years she’s worked at Pancho’s, the most popular item on the menu is the shredded beef tacos. Higuera said the taste of the food has never changed, and it “hits the spot every time.”
Ally Arellano, a CSULB alumni said that Pancho’s was one of her favorite spots to go to in between classes because of the welcoming environment and authenticity of the food.
“I found myself there a lot,” Arellano said. “When I was a student at CSULB, I always worried about how much money I would spend on meals, but whenever I went there I got my money’s worth and always left satisfied.”
The busiest days are Friday and Sunday, so students can grab a bite to eat in the middle of the week for the most ideal time to skip the line.
Frank Flores, owner and creator of Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant, passed away in the midst of the pandemic on Aug. 8, 2020.
Through the constant visit from regulars, the employees of Pancho’s ensuring a comfortable experience, and the authenticity of the food, his legacy will live on.
Frank Flores, owner and creator of Pancho's Mexican Restaurant. Photo credit: Julia Simpson
Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 4925 Pacific Coast Hwy. in Long Beach. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is ready to serve CSULB students.
For more information, visit their website.
For privacy purposes, employees interviewed asked for their last names to not be included in the story.
