Pedro's Mexican Restaurant

Pedro's is a Kennebunk fixture that does upscale Mexican food with real skill. The kitchen turns out fresh, generous plates, and the bar moves fast with an impressive tequila and margarita program. It's the kind of place where the owner, Norm, works the room and actually knows regulars by name. Friday nights get loud and packed, which is half the charm.

• Dean's halibut special lands in your top 5 ever.
• Bar managers know their drinks and their people.
• Margarita Prima and deep tequila list worth sitting for.
• Owner Norm makes you feel like family on night one.

Start with the appetizers (one guest raved the kitchen handled staggered timing flawlessly). The chicken quesadilla is a standout; pork burrito is solid. If there's a halibut special, order it. The tacos are reliable. Finish with a Margarita Prima, which one recent visitor called "probably the best" of a long margarita menu.

Colorful and playful, with statues and mementos covering the walls. Friday nights are busy and loud, but you can still talk across your table. The bar closes the night properly.

Dean, the chef, trained in scratch cooking and shows it. Halibut specials rotate in and out. The portions are generous and hot when they hit the table. Service moves well even when the place is three-deep at the bar. It's not fine dining, but it's not casual either. Somewhere in between.

Guests keep coming back, some two and three times in a single trip. A regular since opening night noted the food stays "absolutely amazing." The staff, from bar manager Michael T to the owner himself, makes people feel genuinely welcome. One recent visitor said the vibe is "fun yet relaxed" and described closing down the bar like catching up with old friends.