Poblanos Mexican Restaurant Review in Columbus, Ohio

There is certainly no shortage of Mexican restaurants in Columbus and its suburbs.  Living on the far east side of town, we frequently visit a handful of Mexican restaurants in Reynoldsburg, Pataskala and Pickerington.  While we could drive a few minutes more in any direction, we tend to fall into "habits" and patterns.  Our most recent, regular "spot" for Mexican food is Poblano's Mexican Restaurant on the far east side of Columbus on the edges of Whitehall/Reynoldsburg. What do we think of Poblano's on Noe Bixby Road?

Poblano's Is a Bit off the Beaten Path.  If you are familiar with Columbus' far east edge/ Whitehall /Main Street Columbus / Reynoldsburg--you may remember the old Don Pablo's Mexican Restaurant that sat up on the hill at the corner of Main and Noe Bixby Road.  This has been the home of Poblano's for several years.  If you didn't know it was "up there" on the hill--you would probably drive right by it--and if you weren't familiar with the area driving up that hill--it isn't necessarily easy to find your way to the restaurant's parking lot in the dark as it sort of merges with another restaurant's space.  However, take your time--and, once you meander through the first restaurant's lot (I think it's currently The Point)--the parking area for Poblano's is spacious and easy to access.  But--you have to be on the lookout for Poblano's to find it!

Poblano's Operates at a Slower Pace. You will not feel rushed at Poblano's.  We have eaten there several times--and it doesn't matter if the place is hopping busy or it is a light evening--the service moves a bit slowly. The servers are not inattentive--they just offer a slower paced meal than what many of us have grown accustomed.  Diners receive chips and salsa almost immediately after the drink orders are taken--but, the drinks may take several minutes to arrive.  There is a bit of time between drink ordering and meal ordering--which you may actually appreciate because the menu is fairly large.  Food always seems to arrive fairly quickly after ordering and the server checks in regularly during the meal--but, we always seem to wait a while for the final bill and payment.  If you visit Poblano's--expect the meal to last a while.

Poblano's is a Casual and Family Friendly Restaurant.  My husband said it best when he said, "Poblano's doesn't pretend to be something it isn't".  And--it does not.  It is a laid back, casual, family friendly restaurant.  Even if the neighboring tables have kids who are a bit loud or fail to stay in their seats--it is okay.  The tables are well spaced.  The music and the atmosphere lend itself well to families.  The kids can be a bit loud without disturbing other diners.  It is not a fancy place--but, it is a fun, casual spot to celebrate a birthday or venture out for a family dinner. 

How is the Food at Poblano's Mexican Restaurant?

Okay--so how is the food at Poblano's?  

The Chips and Salsa 

When the chips are fresh and warm--they are quite good.  The salsa isn't anything fancy--and we are pretty sure that there isn't any difference between the "red" bowls and the other bowls that they drop off at the tables.  Red doesn't seem to mean spicier here like in some places--and you will not find extra hot sauces on the table.  My youngest usually asks for hot sauces--but, has not asked at Poblano's-so I am not sure if there are extra sauces available upon request.

The Margaritas

The Poblanos Margarita 

    We have never gotten a poorly mixed house Margarita at Poblano's.  They are not light on the alcohol--but, not too heavy either.  My husband really likes the margaritas there and we have never really ordered anything else from the bar during our visits.

 The Main Dishes

As you can see from the titles of the dishes below--umm..ordering at Poblano's is pretty easy--but, it can become a bit confusing when the server returns your meals!  While many of the dishes we ordered sounded similar--they were all very different.  So.  Pay a bit of attention to the full name of your dish and to the sauce so that you know which dish you ordered when the meal arrives at your table!

POBLANO'S SPECIAL ENCHILADAS 

ONE BEEF, ONE CHICKEN, AND ONE PORK ENCHILADA ALL TOPPED WITH CHEESE SAUCE AND SERVED WITH MEXICAN RICE AND REFRIED BEANS 

These are not overloaded with cheese sauce--but, our middle daughter loves these.  They can become a bit dry if you are a slow eater or opt to pack them away into a a take home box--but, the filling is flavorful and the rice is always a hit.

ENCHILADAS POBLANAS

  

THREE CORN TORTILLAS FILLED WITH CHICKEN AND TOPPED WITH SWEET MOLE SAUCE. SERVED WITH MEXICAN RICE AND REFRIED BEANS
 
You need to like mole sauce for this dish--and the mole sauce has a mole kick.  My youngest daughter loves stronger flavors--and these enchiladas are always on her "must order" list. 

ENCHILADAS ESPECIALES 

  
A SUPREME COMBINATION OF FOUR ENCHILADAS! ONE CHICKEN, ONE BEAN, ONE CHEESE AND ONE BEEF. ALL TOPPED WITH TOMATOES, LETTUCE AND SOUR CREAM 

This is for the fans of a little bit of everything in their enchiladas.  My husband seems to order this dish nearly every visit.  It is covered with a mild, red sauce and garnished well--and always seems to disappear.

BURRITO BOWL

 
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CORN, RICE, BLACK BEANS LETTUCE, PICO DE GALLO, GUACAMOLE AND SOUR CREAM 

This is my favorite item on the menu.  The photo doesn't really do the dish much justice.  The bowl is DEEP--and you will be lucky to finish this food in this bowl!  The chicken is flavorful, there is a great mix of ingredients and sauces--and I have absolutely ordered this bowl every time I've visited the restaurant.  There is no cheese--and you will not miss it all.  

Would we recommend Poblanos Mexican Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio?  I already said it--but, my husband said it best when he said, "Poblano's doesn't pretend to be something it isn't".  And--it does not.  It is a laid back, casual, family friendly restaurant.  This isn't the place for a quite, intimate dinner or a formal family event--but, for a small family birthday outing (where they will bring out a birthday sombrero and sing) or a simple evening, family dinner outing--I think it is perfect.  Expect a slower pace--with good, Mexican food.  Put away the cell phones--and enjoy talking with the kids while you are waiting for drink refills or for the bill.  It is a slower pace--no matter the day, time or server.  Nothing is over-the-top, nothing is extraordinary--but, if you are looking for a  family friendly, quality, Mexican restaurant without a lot of hustle and chaos--this is one of our favorites on the Columbus east side. 

If you would like more information on the restaurant featured here:

Visit the Poblanos Website | Visit Poblanos on Facebook