El Palenque, meaning "the arena" in English, is classified as a Mexican Grill. First opened in 2007, the restaurant is family-run and is located at 951 Niagara Falls in Amherst, NY. They are the "home of the 64oz. margaritas" and offer complimentary, unlimited home-made tortilla chips and salsa upon arrival.
After waiting about 3 minutes to be seated, my friend and I immediately ordered a pitcher of lime margarita, which was brought out promptly and poured for us in our decently sized margarita glasses. A side of chips and salsa were also brought out while we perused the menu.
Normally, customers have to choose between the following sizes of glasses when ordering either a lime, mango, or strawberry margarita. The glass on the right looks small in the photo, but is a good size if you're looking for a minor headache the next day.
The menu is huge, with lists of all types of burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, nachos, hard shell tacos, combo dinners, desserts, drinks, and so much more. A link to their complete menu can be found here. As can be seen in the menu, prices are excellent for the amount of food given. I ended up ordering a Jumbo Beef Burrito, topped with rice and beans, lettuce, tomatos, sour cream, and a special order of pico de gallo. It was filling and absolutely delicious.
The only complaint with the menu, however, would be to have photos of some of the dishes, just to get an idea of what the meals look like or how they're presented. My friend and I were wondering if the chicken fajita he ordered would be presented on the flour tortilla with all the toppings already on, like my burrito, but it ended up being separate. Not a problem, but photos would add to the experience of ordering.
The food took about 8 minutes or so to come out, which is excellent for such a busy restaurant. After speaking with our waiter Carlos, it was evident they work hard to serve the food in a timely manner. They have a system down for the cooks to ensure organization and presentation of food is up to par.
One more fact worth noting is how beautifully decorated the restaurant was. There were bright, bold colors all over, including within the paintings found on each table top of various scenes, whether it be a Mexican village or a field and chapels. The chairs for the longer tables, pictured below, were ornate and very fun to examine, while the booths were comfortable and plentiful.
My companion and I were in agreement that we would be back very soon to try out more of the various dishes offered at El Palenque. The service, food, and ambiance were all fantastic, as well as the prices. To read more about it's location and menu, visit their website here.
