Papi Grande's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina

I drove from Toronto to take my son to Dick’s sporting goods randomly today. I spotted this place and thought I’d give it a try. I will say it was underwhelming. The margarita was watered down and my tacos were the worse I’ve ever tasted. I had the gringo definitely depicted what the word means in Latin culture. It was definitely an Old El Paso kit used for the that one. The bang band shrimp was fried in old oil and overcooked, it also tasted like it had mayo in it. I personally felt it was not even close to authentic Mexican and hope that the owner finds a Mexican to help them with their menu. It’s in a great location and I’m sure it has the potential to be a phenomenal business if they can get their menu right.

Lindsey was the best part of the experience. We sat in the igloo, it was a little chilly at first with just two heaters, but the restaurant brought two more which quickly warmed the area. Food was very good. Lindsey our waitress went above beyond. Not only did she serve our food and drinks to the table, she had to zip and unzip the igloo each time, brought the extra heaters in, shoveled by the door and brought a mat, because of the ice. She was so friendly, great attitude and just made the evening special. She would be the reason I go back to dine here. Haven’t had a waitress like this in a long time.

My wife and I were excited to try this new addition to the Village of Lancaster. When we walked in we were politely greeted and quickly seated. Overall, the best part of the experience was the service. Our server was personable and helpful. The atmosphere was confusing compared to the menu. It has elements of being modern with sparse decorations. There is this weird fusion of Mexican and Hibachi which did not work. Our dishes had a different type of flavor. For example the red sauce almost tasted like a sweet pizza sauce. I hope they can figure out their menu. The entire experience can be summed up in one word: “confused”.

Lovely afternoon on the patio! Spicy Skinny Margarita and our taco selections were wonderful. The only negative, came late in our visit, when we realized that all the other seated parties had been brought water, and chips/salsa. None were offered to us. Maybe next time!

Food was delicious. Especially the chicken fajitas and rice. Also had the chicken enchiladas, that was really good too. Just the right amount of sauce and flavor. The house margarita was perfect and just the right size. My kid loved the taco in a bag. It would be nice to see a kids quesadilla on the menu maybe. The chips and guacamole were also very good, not spicy at all.