When I hear about a new restaurant opening in Nashville, I am always excited to give it a try. A Mexican restaurant called Pancho & Lefty’s has had a location in downtown Nashville, but I try to avoid that area if possible because it is so busy. Therefore, I was anxious for the opening of the Sylvan Park location because I was finally going to be able to go without having to negotiate any parking issues downtown. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed with my visit. Hopefully this post will save you from having a similar experience.
Like the other restaurants in Sylvan Park, Pancho & Lefty’s doesn’t have much of its own parking because the building is so close to the street. However, there is plenty of free parking close by. I parked just up from the restaurant in the McCabe Park public parking lot and only had to walk a short distance to get inside.
I was very confused when I walked in because there was a hostess at the entrance, but she didn’t say anything to me or my friend. The style of the restaurant seemed to be pretty casual, and we didn’t see anyone else waiting. I assumed we were just supposed to seat ourselves. My friend and I looked around for a table but realized none were open. We then went back to the hostess and asked if we were supposed to put our name on a waiting list. She responded that we were (well thanks for telling us that when we walked in!) and stated the wait would be 30-35 minutes (for two people on a Thursday night!). I was starving but really wanted to try the new restaurant, so we decided to stay. There was not a waiting area, so my friend and I tried to stand up against the wall; I still felt like we were in the way. Finally, a waitress asked if we would like to sit at the bar while we waited. I was unsure if it would be acceptable to sit there if I wasn’t going to order a drink, but the bartender didn’t seem too annoyed.
After a full 40 minutes of waiting on our table, my friend decided to go back to the hostess to ask about the status of our table. Apparently our name had gotten lost in their records, and we weren’t even on the list! Thankfully, a table opened up pretty quickly, and we got to order. The food menu was not extensive, but I never view that as a bad thing because I take it to mean the chef must be really good at making the small list of dishes that are offered.
There were typical Mexican appetizers such as chips & either queso, guacamole, or salsa, as well as nachos which were topped with refried beans, roasted corn, pico de gallo, jalapeños, crema, and cilantro, in addition to queso. When I visited the restaurant, my friend and I opted out of ordering an appetizer because both of our meals included a side of chips and salsa. However, we soon discovered the portions were tiny (see photo below). I was upset because the salsa was some of the best I’ve ever had, but I did not want to order extra because it was not free like it is at most Mexican restaurants.
The “Cantina Especiales” section of the menu included a cantina salad, burrito bowl, quesadillas, and something called a “Pollo Mareado,” a dish composed of rotisserie chicken, green cabbage slaw, pickled onion, cotija cheese, salsa, cilantro, verde sauce, and crema, accompanied by a side of warm house-made flour tortillas.
I ordered the quesadillas (pictured above), and was highly satisfied with my decision. The dish was composed of two smaller house-made flour tortillas which were grilled to perfection and filled with muenster and jack cheese, corn, pico de gallo, and cilantro. As is, the plate costs $9, but al pastor, adobo chicken, tikka chicken, hot chicken, or beef can be added for an additional $3. The muenster cheese and corn contributed unique flavors not often found in quesadillas. I enjoyed every last bite and would definitely order this meal again.
The taco choices offer the most vast options of anything on the menu. Pancho & Lefty’s has 11 different tacos, all served on house-made tortillas or corn tortillas upon request. I won’t list them all, but some honorable mentions include the, “Migas Taco,” filled with scrambled eggs, muenster cheese, pico de gallo, fried flour tortilla strips, avocado slices, verde sauce, and cilantro. The, “Hot Chicken Taco,” is composed of a fried chicken strip with hot chicken seasoning, queso, chipotle mayo, and cilantro. The, “Cheeseburger Taco,” uses a double layer of tortillas, one soft and one crunchy, with black bean spread in between, to incase a mixture of seasoned beef, charred poblano peppers, queso, lettuce, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
My friend ordered three tacos which was $13. Each one looked truly delicious (pictured above). To our surprise, the best tasting taco turned out to be, “The Classic,” although the, “Cheeseburger Taco,” and, “Baja Fish,” were tasty also. My friend’s biggest regret with the order was getting three tacos instead of just two. Each taco was filled to the brim with toppings, so two would be plenty unless you have the appetite of my father.
Overall, I would rank Pancho & Lefty’s with a 5/10. My only negative comment on the food would be the portion of chips and salsa was much too small. The food tasted excellent and was reasonably priced when compared to similar restaurants. However, the fact that my party of two had to wait over 40 minutes to be seated on a week night was ridiculous. It was unacceptable to me that the hostess lost our name on the wait list and did not do anything to make up for our inconvenience. The restaurant could definitely benefit from some more competent employees as well as a formal waiting area so guests don’t feel like they are in the way while waiting for their tables. While I did enjoy the taste of the food, I don’t know if I can tolerate another visit like this one. If you decide to give the restaurant a try for yourself, I hope you have a much better experience.
Savory Spots & Sassy Thoughts 