06/16/09

THE best Mexican food in KC

by rockmon

Ponaks is traditional mexican fare. I've eaten there for 20 years and have never had a problem. The wait on friday and saturday is very worth it.

... headed there tonight!

• Pros: very well priced, excellent portions and service
• Cons: nada

08/19/08

Overflowing portions of yumminess

by Straycarnivore

Hordes of delicious food for nothing. Although many of us got platters (the #16 with 2 burritos is my particular sin), others at the table managed to stuff themselves for under $5. The service was great - the waitress and the bartender were both really helpful with suggestions and recommendations, as well as making sure that our drinks never ran out.

Packed during the lunch hour, but always worth the wait.

06/21/08

Why all the good reviews?

by iatetrhere

I stopped by Ponak's with my daughter based on good reviews I have read, what a dissapointment! I CAN NOT understand how Ponak's gets these good reviews. Both my daughter and I ordered the # 1 and left most of it on the plate. We discussed our experience on the way home and agreed that the food was bland and reminded us both of school cafeteria food. We agreed that the food was a 2 out of 10 at best. So the one star out of five is appropriate. The chips were cold and generic as well as the salsa. My daughter commented during our meal that she knew the secret ingredient, or not so secret ingredient, CHEESE! Some might like alot of cheese, myself included, but there was so much cheese that we couldn't taste anything else. Very simple, very bland, noting to make the food at Ponak's memorable in a good way. Several stars below home made taco night at our house. Blaaa...

That being said, the service was fine and our food came quick enough. The atmosphere was just ok. The place was crowded, there were alot of families ( Kids & older folks). The staff was very friendly and we were seated quickly. I thought that the price was a little high all things considered.

Much better mexican food to be had at the same price level in many other mexican resturants in Kansas City!!!

• Pros: Hmmmmm?
• Cons: Food

03/24/08

Best Margaritas!!!

by KimmySueSue

We've been going to Ponak's for many years. You can't get a better margarita ANYWHERE! Their food is good and reasonably priced. In all this time we've only run across one staff member with an attitude, and hopefully she's gone by now. We will continue to enjoy their food and margaritas as long as they can keep surviving the floods on the Boulevard!! GO PONAK'S!

• Pros: DEFINITELY THE MARGARITAS!!

12/27/07

Best Marg's EVER

by rando9999

Wow frank0996 will never have the profession of a food critic, he obviously doesn't get out much. For starters there are only Mexican kitchen staff at Ponak's that work thier fingers raw preparing the food fresh everyday and there is not a microwave in the whole place. The recipes are from 30 years ago when the place started. You can specialize any item on the menu to your satisfaction so it's pretty hard to not get something you love.

The margarita's are the best you have ever had, once you have tried them you cannot drink the wimpy margaritas anywhere else - and they are even made fresh daily with TONS of tequila. It's off the beaten path, but worth checking out! It's small and you might wait on a weekend, but where else are you not going to wait unless they don't have cars in the parking lot and we all know to stay away from those food joints!

• Pros: Local Business - not a chain!

09/11/07

Not good

by frank0996

If you want Americanized bland food that taste like it is covered with cheese sauce from a can (think the ballpark nacho stuff from the pump dispenser coming out of a big can) or made from a package of dried stuff, it's your place. The wait staff was not friendly, basically short and curt. They really didn?t seem to care if you liked the food or not or that you actually came in at all, sort of like we have the name and if you don?t like our food, too bad which is ok with me as I?ve never been back. The food was edible, but not what you?d call good. Little kids and old people probably would like the food as it has limited flavor, but I have had better Mexican TV dinners which I guess goes to show that there is a taste for everyone and their food is basically tasteless (think bland diet hospital food and your right on target). Not trying to be overly critical, but the food was just wasn?t anything to get excited about at all. That's about the best I could say about them.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Food

Editorial Review by Christy Buena

by Contributor

Guests are offered a large menu selection of authentic Mexican dishes at the trendy family-oriented restaurant.

11/06/06

Overrated

by kcgirl03

I do not think the service was as quick as a lot of the other Mexican restaraunts around the area. There are SO many places with MUCH better food and MUCH quicker service. I thought the waitresses were rude, and the food was blah. There wasn't much of a selection, and It felt like I was sitting on top of the other people around me. The one good thing about this place was the guacamole dip.. Probably the best ive ever had.. as for the rest of the food, way overrated.. Just okay.

• Pros: Guacamole Dip
• Cons: Everything else

11/01/06

Best Mexican food in Town

by laggy

Ponak's is simply the best mexican food in town it is athentic and lacks no taste the serving size is very fair for the price. the attmosphere is good and it is allways fun. well worth a drive and the wait.

• Pros: large servings, great food, fast service once ordered
• Cons: limited parking, long waits (but can be enjoyed), can be loud

08/17/06

A Must Stop

by bill_w

If you are a mexican food lover then you must fit this place in and if vacationing in K. C. do it early 'cause you'll want to go back a second time. Yes it's true and not overstated...THE BEST margaritas anywhere. If you have more than one, then don't even think about driving.

Service is friendly and good and the place is not fancy but clean and by the way, the prices are quite reasonable.

• Pros: double thumbs up food and drinks
• Cons: tables are small