Palenque Mexican Bar & Grill

I was in town for work and was looking for a place for lunch other than fast food. I stopped in only to find two tables full of cute elderly ladies having their monthly card group. :) I ordered and quickly received my food. It was well-​prepared and very tasty. The gentleman who waited on me was very pleasant and attentive. I will certainly go back again.

This fabulous hole in the wall is much needed in the area. We arrived at 11:00, right as they opened for lunch. This joint is new, we were the only ones, my partner and I. We were worried for them, fearing we would be the only patrons during what should have been a busy lunchtime.
Psych! Within 10 minutes, every brightly colored, carved table and chair were filled by diners. Complimentary, warm chips and salsa were on our table before we could open the menus. Our waiter was extremely polite, got the job done efficiently. We indulged in some 11AM Modelos and they knew to remove enough of the gold foil so we didn’t have to BYOToothpicks.
We ordered a smothered burrito of sorts and some enchiladas. Both portions were generous, taking home left overs of both (mmm, actually a good lunch). My only complaint was the overly-​plentiful sour cream blob that, due to its size, was more challenging than usual to remove and use as a side. The enchilada sauce was deep, rich. The burrito sauce was super cheesy, filling with long, delicious pieces of pork. One of my top McFarland faves.

I couldn’t be more in love with a Mexican restaurant. If the hole in the wall feel doesn’t get you first it’s the deliciousness of their food.
I haven’t had food, service, prices, etc. this good since I lived in Chicago and had gone to college in Platteville.
The salsa is fresh and has the prefect balance of ingredients nothing like the blandness that I’ve had in most places around Madison. The fajitas are to die for and they actually give you a good portion of meat with your money. The guacamole also has my heart, it’s fresh and also balances it’s ingredients well. Horchata is even YUM!
You actually get what you pay for here and that’s important to me. Large portions that will leave you so full that they need to roll you out the door like Violet in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
Yes, the place is small, but who cares I love the intimate atmosphere and it makes it easier for the wait staff to see who needs to be served next or wants refills. Who knows, maybe they’ll be successful enough one day to open a bigger location.
Considering I have been trying to find a Mexican restaurant that I can’t wait to go visit again for five years it’s safe to say that I’m an extremely satisfied.

Pros: Good portions, great food (that’s really what you’re here for right?), good variety of menu options, good margaritas. A place that makes their own horchata! The salsa is above average.
Cons: Small seating area that exposes you to the outside weather when people come and go, the rice and beans are pretty plain, décor is flashy, but a little tacky.
None of the cons are really cons enough to consider not going though

I’ve been here three times now and will be going back. I love that all the tables and chairs were handmade in Mexico (it literally makes you feel like you are in Mexico.) I love that they serve pitchers of margaritas. I love that they give you warm chips and salsa the moment you arrive. I love their cheese sauce although probably incredibly unhealthy for you. And I love their Molcajeta fajitas! YUM!

So I found this place based on reading the reviews here on Unilocal.Sounds worth a try. Small, brightly decorated, pleasant staff, impressive menu options. Fast service. The guac is freshly made. So is the Pico. Dinners came out hot, fresh and tasty. Generous portions and full of flavor. An appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 Modelos each for 35 bucks and change. That’s hard to beat. We will be back.

Great Margarita and wonderful food and service. Had the steak, chicken and shrimp combo fajitas and they were delicious. We will be back!

This place is really good and definitely provides some well needed options to the fish fry saturated land that is McFarland. The atmosphere is fun with lots of color, painted tables/​chairs, and a cozy feel. There service is very attentive, quick, and friendly to boot.
Chips and salsa are served right and the chips were served warm (yay!). The salsa is okay — a crowd pleaser red salsa, not too spicy, not too anything really…
We ordered a round of lime house margaritas on the rocks — standard margarita fair, a little too sweet for me, but nothing out of the ordinary.
The food seems to be more of a tex-​mex approach to Mexican — but that does not stop it from being delicious. The purveyors definitely understand that serving lengua in McFarland probably won’t get them far — a good call! Generous portions are served with all the fixings including guacamole at no additional charge! What? The cuisine is whipped up in record time and is more than reasonably priced.
The fella and I decided to split the steak fajitas and we were each given a huge helping of rice, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole on the side along with tortillas (choice of corn or flour). The meal was more than enough to split and the waiter even boxed it up for us when we quickly realized we could not finish it all!
I would definitely go to this establishment again. Delicious!

Very delicious! Extremely quick service! The staff are very friendly. My husband and I will definitely be back. The place is on the smaller side but we were able to be seated immediately. We both had the chimichangas. I had the spicy chicken and he had the one that had steak, chicken and shrimp. Both amazing! The chips and salsa are also very good! Can’t wait to go back!

Fajitas Especial were excellent. Meat was very flavorful and the service was great. Highly recommended! We will be back!

One of those great surprises tucked away in a strip mall! Unquestionably the best Mexican I’ve found in the area. So far I’ve had chicken, steak, shrimp, and pork dishes; all high quality and well prepared; tender and not fatty. The flavor and quality has been especially noticeable in the dishes that showcase the meat: carne asada, chile verde (pork), all the shrimp dishes. Camerones a la Diablo-​sauce was delicious! very spicy, my new favorite Diablo sauce, though my stomach was regretting it later that day – apparently lost my tolerance to spicy foods since moving to the Midwest. Luckily the other Camerones dishes are tasty too, so I can save Diablo for special occasions. Then to top it all off, the chile verde sauce was ridiculously good too! –great balanced lime, tomatillo, and spice. I’ll always make sure someone at my table orders something with the verde sauce so I can at least get a taste.

Had the fish tacos as did my daughter. They came fast. And we’re served so could assemble to taste. Fish was well prepared. Salsa was delicious. Great value for the money. Two meals can feed three. Only flaw was the busses kept trying to take my plates of food away as I was trying to package my leftovers.

Went here for a quick lunch with my mom while she was in town. We were immediately seated, served water and chips and salsa. The salsa – yummmmmm!!! And the chips were nice and crisp, not stale like they’d been sitting out all lunch hour. The menu is extensive, but not overwhelming. They over a lot of favorites, some specialties, combination plates and lunch specials.
We both got the fish tacos. They were served with either corn or flour tortillas and they came out quick and hot. The fish and tacos were on plate, the rice/​tomatoes/​lettuce/​avocado on another and the pico de gallo in it’s own bowl so you could BYO taco. I did put some of the yummy salsa on my taco as well, just to add some more juiciness. I could only finish 2 of the 3 tacos, but they provided a box for taking it home. They did try to clean up the plates before we were finished boxing everything up though, so wasn’t very happy with that.
All in all, we paid just under $ 20 for two filling lunches. I’d go back!

We went tonight (Friday) around 6:15pm. Only waited about 10 – 15 minutes. Food was great! My husband and I ordered the Burrito Carne Asada and the Burrito Mexicano. Being foodies living in this small town we also ordered Beef Soft Tacos to see what they were like (in addition to the fact that we were told through word of mouth from friends that have eaten at the Beaver Dam location that they are good). I’d have to say that overall our experience was really good. Staff was very friendly, helpful, and quick. I ordered a traditional margarita on the rocks (good, but only slightly too sweet for my liking). One of the very impressive things we learned was that they make their own cheese!!! Outstanding flavor too!!! Bill was $ 30-​ish including a margarita, two burrito entrées, and 3 beef soft tacos. I’m giving four stars because the establishment is too small to accommodate for a waiting area (wait line was in the hallway by the bathrooms), and because the smallest table seated four. I highly encourage people to come here and enjoy traditional Mexican fare! ¡Salud!

Thank you, thank you Palenque for coming to McFarland. Our little suburb has been with out a decent Mexican restaurant since… well, since forever. The complimentary chips and salsa have a wonderful, homemade flavor and are a great way to start your meal. Speaking of starting your meal, the margaritas are a pretty yummy compliment to the food; not overly sweet, with the right amount of tequila. The menu is extensive and I am thrilled with the large selection of vegetarian dishes. The first time we went to Palenque, I ordered the veggie fajitas and the second time I ordered the same… I guess that’s a resounding thumbs-​up for the food. My husband loves enchiladas and they don’t disappoint at Palenque. The staff is really friendly and makes the experience that much better. In fact, we’ve only been twice, but on our second visit the owner greeted us and welcomed us back! That’s awfully impressive considering this restaurant has been packed since the day it opened! My only complaint is that the space is small and, without a vestibule area, the dining room can be cold. However, that is definitely a minor annoyance and will not deter us from becoming regulars.

Stopped in for late lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the great food and excellent service. The chicken Fajitas were really good an the portions were generous. I highly recommend this place for fans of Mexican food.

What a lovely surprise. Just had the BEST carnitas and seafood enchiladas. Great food, affordable and beautiful tables and chairs. Just a little jewel!

I’m thrilled for this McFarland addition. Efficient, polite service, the environment is a good sort of tacky, very clean. I received my warm chips and salsa immediately and my food quite quickly. Most importantly, you will end up with a steaming plate LOADED with food. They don’t skimp on the good ingredients one bit, they’re not just filling you up on bread or lettuce. Prices are in line with the quality and portions. There’s no good reason to dislike this joint.
I recommend the spinach quesadilla.

Very good traditional Mexican food ! Please know the place inside is small with 5 topper tables so bring more then two friends lol but other then that situation they will figure out, but for now il stick to pick up

What a great addition to McFarland! Went for dinner last night and there was a wait. The carnitas was amazing! It’s going to be hard to order anything different next time. I would skip the margarita next time though. It was nothing to rave about. Great service even though they were slammed. Chips and salsa were great. Chicken chili verde was average. So glad to have this close to home and will be back soon!