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Austin's Famous Mexican Restaurant

Submitted by Andrea Sidor on Sat, 08/01/2009 - 1:17pm. Restaurants

Can anyone enlighten me about the name of the Mexican restaurant where it was all you can eat - and when you wanted more - you just raised the flag on your table - and here came the seconds, and thirds, and on and on! Of course, being on a student's budget, the "all you can eat" feature was great - and boy, could we put it away back then! I just remember Ron Franklin's creative advice that if you start with the sopapillas, you'd have no problem -- (like a plug for the drain!) Classy...

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we would stay up for a week

Submitted by max on Fri, 08/19/2011 - 12:40pm.

we would stay up for a week get some sleep and go pig out at panchos on oltorf and congress and do it all overagain

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Pancho's

Submitted by clex on Sun, 08/02/2009 - 8:42am.

That would be Pancho's Mexican Buffet. Pancho's was the place everyone loved to hate. Food served from a steam table piled onto that heated stainless steel "plate" but it was so good and a definite lifesaver for starving college students.

I clearly recall cashing in my empty coke bottles (remember that?) and having just enough for a two-day's worth stuffing at Pancho's and a phone call home for cash.

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Pancho's

Submitted by eddiesee20 on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 8:02am.

Good memory! Though I ate there numerous times - I'd forgotten all about that place. Being a NY transplant I thought all Mexican restaurants came with a flag on the table.
Since it was the '70's and my memory is now gone, did they have numerous locations throughout Austin? I lived off St John's (used to be a great area) and can't remember which one I went to.

thanks

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Two Pancho's

Submitted by clex on Mon, 09/07/2009 - 4:22pm.

I recall two in Austin: one at 2222 (Koenig Ln.) and Burnet and another at Oltorf and S. Congress. Both had the cheesy pastoral murals of rural "Mexican" towns. One weird thing about Pancho's is that they didn't serve tortillas. Chips and sopapillas, sure, but no tortillas. Wonder why?

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no tortillas

Submitted by JenniW on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 11:59am.

clex, I think Pancho's is a New Mexico institution, and they're all about the sopapillas up there. I grew up in Austin, but I never knew we ever had a Pancho's! My family always went to Pancho's with my grandparents in Albuquerque, though, so I'm just making a bet here.

Man, I'm really enjoying reading about life in Austin before my time. I'm not that young, but my extra-suburban forays really didn't start much before the late eighties.

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