Las Palapas

This is the best Mexican food in Bangor. Finally. However, with that being said the tacos served on taco Tuesdays are the worst ever. There is absolutely no taste or flavor to them at all. Not even catsup or salsa added helps them. I have never had a taco with my lunch or dinners so am not sure if all the tacos are bad or just the cheap ones served on Tuesdays. Either way, I will never have another taco there.

This was my first time to Las Palapas and it was amazing. It is authentic and delicious. This is definitely my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Bangor area. I had the Enchiladas Acapulco and it was delicious.

Best Mexican restaurant in Bangor! Forget Miguel’s, Palapas has much more flavorful and authentic food. I had the Palapas burrito with shredded chicken. Portion size is humongous and the food tasted great. I’ll be back.

My daughter and I are pretty big fans of Mexican and were excited to try Las Palapas. Although it is run and owned by Hispanics the food is lacking. Where are the $ 2 tacos, $ 5 burritos, and $ 4 chimichangas? Although these items are available, they are quite pricey and lack in the flavor department. Additionally, the tacos are the same size as the $ 2 tacos we are used to. But the biggest dissapoinment is that they had no horchata !! I was told that is because people in Bangor wouldn’t buy it because they don’t know what it is. I say then make it and give out free samples as I am sure many would like it. So disappointed as we have not found a decently priced and delicious, truly authentic Mexican restaurant in Maine.

West-​mex has been brought to the eastcoast. We just moved up from Tucson, AZ and this is the best Mexican food north of Portland. Great food at great prices. Service is fast and margaritas are on point. Recommend fish tacos and the chimichanga.

My husband and I just visited Las Palapas for the first time this past Sunday. We had never been before as neither my husband or I are huge fans of Mexican food and, unlike my husband, I don’t like spicy food, but several of our friends have highly recommended that we check this place out, so we finally did. I will say that we were pleasantly surprised.
We were seated right away and the service was fast and friendly. As soon as we sat down, we were brought a large bowl of tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were warm and fresh. The salsa was a tiny bit spicy, but only very mildly and it was tolerable even for me. I ordered the bean and cheese burritos with Mexican rice from their vegetarian menu and I have to admit that it was delicious. I will go back there just for that. I don’t remember exactly what it was that my husband ordered, but it came in a large bowl shaped like a bull and had a lot of vegetables and meat in it. He absolutely loved it.
After we finished our dinner, we were talked into trying the fried ice cream for desert. Neither one of us had ever had fried ice cream before, we so just had to try it. It was alright, but nothing to write home about. We really have no desire to ever have it again, but at least we tried it.
Overall, this is a very decent Mexican restaurant with good food and good service. We will definitely be going back in the near future.

Worst chiles rellenos ever. Not sure what kind of cheese they use, but it tasted like processed cheese with artificial flavoring. No option for beans other than refried, which were burned under the broiler.
I have lived in N California for years and know authentic Mexican and Central American cuisine. I found this food close to inedible.
I would not return.

This is your standard southern-​Californian Mexican transported to Bangor, Maine. It’s fairly true to form, sticks to your ribs and will remind you of Mexican food if you’re from the south west. It’s not fancy or out of this world amaze-​balls, but it does the trick when you’re missing solid carne asada tacos and well-​done salsa. I got the carne asada tacos and my girlfriend got the carne asada plate (same meat, different form). We were both satisfied with 1) the presentation and 2) the taste. Was the meat for my taco sitting in a big bowl of prepared flank steak? Probably. Was it still tasty and fresh tasting? Yes! The onions and other veggies on the carne asada plate were crispy and tasty (I stole some for my tacos).
We will definitely go back when we start missing so-​cal Mexican food (which is, imo, some of the best Mexican food).

We have been several times since they opened. Food and service has always been excellent, zero complaints!

You won’t leave here hungry, the portion sizes are great. I have had better Mexican food but definitely a top choice for Maine

It occurred to me that I’ve been somewhat of a regular here for a few months so I should write a review. LA Palapas is new to the area, less than a year old. Most of the staff here are legal aliens from Mexico living and working here. The food is simple and authentic, always good and ample portions. I will generally order a meal, eat, take leftovers home and get 1 to 2 more meals out of it. The atmosphere is normally festive; you can expect a friendly smile and sometimes a atrong handshake when you walk in and sit down. Within a MI ute or two of sitting down, maybe 5 if it’s really busy, you will get a complimentary basket of tortilla chips and salsa. Regardless of how busy it is, the food comes out within 10 minutes of ordering and is consistently good and made to order. In short, there is a reason why I come here regularly. It’s quick, reasonable, and has a great friendly atlosphere.

This is my second favorite Mexican restaurant in the country, and I have eaten at some in California, Texas, and New Mexico. The rice is seasoned perfectly, the food came fast, and the bill was not high. I would have given 5 stars if the taco had been fried.
Still, an awesome place, and the portions were huge. I cannot wait to eat here again.

Disappointed in Bangor (pronounced «bang-​her») Maine … has no bars (unless in disguise or hidden) OR «ma & pa» eateries …
«Las Palapas Mexican Restaurant» did not help … Fajitas with chewy beef & mushy shrimp …
chicken was okay & had a nice spicy taste …
oh well … gotta have the «yucky» to appreciate the «good» …
NOT a «Run-​A-​Way Bill» Favorite …
«Run-​A-​Way Bill» was here!

…

Much better than Miguel’s down the street, but still Americanized Mexican food. The Margaritas here are good and very reasonably priced, right around $ 5-​$ 6. When the waiter brought out the chips and salsa we started talking about «real Mexican» food and the next thing I know he is bringing some outstanding salsa out of the kitchen. I would say if you like hot salsa ask your waiter for the salsa they make for themselves. Service was fast and the it was $ 21 for the wife and I to have lunch, that includes a margarita.

Best Mexican food in Bangir region. Most authentic and drinks are very good.
Good service also. Prices are good! A keeper!

Wanting to get some good Mexican food and seeing mixed reviews I thought I’d give them a try
½ star price. — a bit pricey for this area and the quality
½ star taste
½ star presentation /​ambience
½ star service
½ star quality
I got a mloljeta. Which is basically fajita in a guacamole serving bowl. No plate to eat on and 3 tiny tortillas. Granted it came with some rice and bean sides but no where to eat it.
I probably will not return.
Rounded 2.5 to 3 stars.

We decided to give this place a second chance for dinner after our dismal first experience with lunch and left even more disappointed. After all the hype about this place on here, and all the positive reviews, we expected to be blown out of the water, but instead we got pulled under and beaten with rocks.
This time around we ordered the fajitas las palapas and the enchiladas tapatias. The tortilla chips provided were cold, kind of chewy, and way too big to be of practical eating size. The salsa wasn’t just mild, it tasted like a can of $ 0.69 rotel from walmart dumped in a pretty container.
The enchiladas were very clearly microwaved, as the tortillas were rubbery and hard in the way that reheated leftovers are. In addition the filling was lackluster and probably would have been more flavorful if they soaked some paper towels in water and used that as the filling. We asked them if they could make it spicier for us and the only option given was to slap some jalapeño slices on the top — what kind of Mexican restaurant can’t toss some extra chili powder in your enchilada filling?
The fajitas were only mildly better, and it was mostly because of the presentation. Again, the filling was disappointing, but the tortillas weren’t hard this time. I’m lucky I don’t have allergies, however, as there as some «bonus» food mixed in with both orders that definitely was not supposed to be a part of the dish — chunks of raw carrot and potato, for example.
The water tasted stale as well, and I’m not even sure how they accomplished that, since I assume it comes from a fountain. At the $ 18 a person price point we will not be returning.

Well, folks, this Southern California gal in Maine can stop lamenting the sub-​par Mexican food in the Bangor area now that Las Palapas has arrived. While it doesn’t rate 5 stars like the Mexican restaurants back home, it more than satisfies my craving for enchiladas, rice & beans, plus chips & salsa. Oh! And the queso dip — PLEASE do yourself a favor and get that too if you have a few extra calories to burn. I’ve now tried several entrees and am confident in recommending their fajitas, enchiladas and tacos. I’d expect other entrees are also tasty though, I just generally stick with these. The meats are tender and well seasoned and the spice level of the sauces are excellent (not too overwhelming but they please the tastebuds). Their margaritas are tasty and powerful. No skimping on the alcohol here!
That the dining room is often full tells me I’m not the only one pleased that Las Palapas came to the area. Now, if only they can avoid the curse of the location, which I hear has felled many a successful restaurant…

Where to start about this place? I went here because a coworker said it was really good. My experience says otherwise.
The service initially was ok. I was with a friend and we were carrying on a conversation, so every time she asked if we were ready to order, we weren’t. So, we finally decided we should definitely order. I ordered the chile relleno. Bad idea! First, the chile was soggy… mushy… gross. The breading had that distinct frozen taste. It was super disgusting! The taco wasn’t really a taco. It was way overstuffed with lettuce and cheese. I couldn’t eat it as a taco because it was so soggy the corn tortilla fell apart. I’ve had tacos all over the country, in Mexico, and Peru… NEVER have I had one this bad. The refried beans and rice were the best part of my meal, which isn’t saying much.
Then, the icing on the cake: Around 9:45, they started cleaning the bar. I’m assuming they closed at 10pm. We were still eating, but I had to stop because the smell from the chemicals was so over powering, that my eyes and my throat were burning. I couldn’t breath!!! They were in such a hurry to get out of there, they couldn’t even wait until the customers were gone. (And we weren’t the only ones left in there. There was another guy eating at the bar).
This was seriously the all time worst Mexican Restaurant I’ve eaten at. There are better ones in the area, don’t waste your time or money here!

Friendly wait staff & greeters. It was quite busy yet our food came out super quickly.
Many offerings for vegetarians — and they had no problem at all with substituting/​changing up menu items for our dietary preferences. Really accommodating.
Chips were warm & crispy and salsa was very tasty. A variety of hot sauces on the table. Guacamole was fresh, homemade, & a crowd-​pleaser.
Several different seating areas — booths, tables, more intimate dining, and a bar w/​2 TVs.
We’ll be back!