Ponak's Mexican Kitchen

I dig Ponak's. It's probably something about living in the KC area my entire life. When I was little, my parents and the neighbors would drive in from the suburbs every once in a while, and so it always seemed incredibly exotic.

Is it the best Mexican food you're going to have? Not by a long shot. Especially based on location, it's almost laughable. But the food isn't bad at all. It's not real Mexican, but it's tasty for what it is. The guacamole is actually super.

I feel like they changed the margaritas somewhere along the line, or maybe it was me. I remember really enjoying them in the past, but they don't have the best taste. They are, however, as many have pointed out, incredibly strong. So if that's what you're going for, enjoy.

They do have a good selection of beers.

I'm not turned off by the interior - it is what it is, and it's been there forever. You have to respect that they've never felt the desire to change, and they still pack in the people week after week.

So. Very. Bad. How is this an "institution"?

This hole of a restaurant not only looks like a basement rec-room circa 1973, but serves slop. I firmly believe that the only reason people say the food is good is because they get tanked on the "margaritas" and will eat anything.

The margaritas come out of a tap and are unpalatably strong. They taste like bottom shelf tequila into which somebody squeezed a lime. We had already been drinking margaritas at two other places, so my tolerance for strong drinks should have muted the effect, but even then all four of us could barely choke these things down. Unacceptably bad.

The place feels dirty. Maybe it's just that old, but it just seems like it needs a good hosing out.

I don't get how people come here when there are two other vastly superior Mexican options (that are comparable in price) that you could literally hit with a rock.

Best mexican in KC period. Done.