Ponak's Mexican Kitchen & Bar

Pam Baker 2 months ago

Iconic Mexican food at its best. Of course you come for the margaritas but don’t miss the great and plentiful plates and service. Prefer to sit in bar area and had the most attentive service with Ed. Love the taco salad which is enough for 2 people. The cheese dip hits the spot and don’t miss the cheesy cheese and onion enchiladas. Add it to your spot!

Sharina Preston 6 months ago

Soo good! The service was amazing! We went on a Sunday at 4 for my brothers birthday! Our server was patient and friendly even though we had a big group! He even took our photo. I had the lava lamp marg! Yummy and they gave him a bday shot! Would definitely recommend! The only bad thing is not much parking...

Tom Roy-Villarreal 6 months ago

Feeling really disappointed. It didn’t take long for my group of 4 to find a table, which is always nice. This is probably where the good experience went south. We were given a server, (I believe his name is Brian, according to the manager because he never introduced himself,) who was extremely rude to myself and my sister. He approached us, asked us what we’d like to drink. I ordered a margarita, my sister went to order and he cut her off and walked away. After this, he came back to the table several times and STILL ignored her, asking absolutely nothing. At this point, we’re already irritated, so she went to speak with the manager and we were moved to another section, where he found us and gave us the sodas that he took almost 20 minutes to ask us about. During his delivery of the sodas, he goes, “why did you move did something happen?” From here, the manager removed him from us, but not before throwing the straws for the drinks *at* us, instead of handing them to us like adults. From there, we had a server named Zena who was amazing. Great service, super quick, no issues from her at all. We asked for our drinks to be complimentary because of Brian being so rude to us, which the manager hesitated to do but ended up giving us. I’d go again, but I absolutely wouldn’t sit in Brian’s section.

CatchingKato 4 months ago

This is a hotspot in KC you shouldn't miss. I legit dream about their white queso, it's so creamy and perfectly flavored, just a bit of kick. I dunno, but I would come here just for the queso. They need to bottle it up and sell it for real. I don't live in Kansas City but I hit up this local favorite EVERY time I'm in town. Shout out to the ladies running the kitchen because my gosh they turn out great food. The prices are great, the menu is AWESOME, and, they have strong margaritas and a great beer list (featuring Boulevard Brewing). If the stellar food doesn't draw you in, then maybe the history? This place has been open fifty years! Ponak's was the first to have a keg of Boulvard's brew. They have some interesting memorabilia around the restaurant and bar. This also adds to the old school, gritty vibe. Because of the popularity, expect to wait. That being said, people are sat quickly and service is actually super fast. You can get drinks among the lively crowds if the wait is more than 15 minutes. They also have screens for sports and are only about 20 minutes drive from Arrowhead Stadium. As much as I love this place though (and I like that it's no frills), they could improve slightly on table cleanliness and renovate the bathrooms to fit the cool indoor decor.

Heather J 6 months ago

Ponak's claims to be known for their margaritas. I would say that depends on if you're looking for flavor or looking to get hammered. With just one Margarita you may not be able to drive. I will give them credit they are certainly the strongest Margaritas I've ever had. It tasted like alcohol with a hint of flavoring. The food was average at best, but the atmosphere and the service are second to none. It is a very quaint place to go and spend an afternoon or evening.