It's the place to go for authentic Mexican tacos. It's owned by a famous James Beard Award winning…read morechef. Cristina Martinez's lamb barbacoa and handmade heirloom corn tortillas are featured on at least 3 Netflix shows. It's a restaurant that we couldn't pass up, and it totally lives up to the hype. First of all, it's cash only. There's an ATM machine conveniently located inside the restaurant. The ordering process was easy. We were greeted immediately and handed a menu. The service here is fantastic! The staff greet you with smiles and warm welcomes. There's lots of indoor and outdoor seating. We were there at an off peak time so there were no issues finding a table. My husband ordered the 3 taco deal. He chose steak as the protein. I had 2 individual tacos so that I could try the barbacoa and cochinita pibil. We also split the guacamole with handmade chips. It came with 2 tasty hot sauces. I could definitely taste the jalapeño in the green sauce. My husband loved all the spicy toppings and sauces. It was exactly as we thought it would be in terms of flavor. Especially the cochinita pibil which is something we had previously in the Yucatan. Everything was so clean and fresh tasting. The technique in making the barbacoa truly brings out the full flavor of the lamb. The value was there considering the amount of protein in each taco. The toppings were all fresh and delicious. The nopales (cactus) was a new topping for me. I had a few on the side to try it. It was a nice addition to the barbacoa. I can't forget to include the mango agua fresca and complimentary cake in this review. The aqua fresca was the best I've ever had. The mango was all natural. I didn't detect any artificial flavors. I believe the cake was apple cinnamon. They make different ones daily or seasonally. It was the perfect ending, and not too sweet. Don't miss this gem in South Philly. It's on 9th Street and just south of the Italian Market area. It was totally worth a special trip. I'm so glad we got to experience it for ourselves.

Cuisine: 8 Service: 8…read moreDecor: 7 Value: 5 Overall: 8 It's hard to live up to the hype, especially in today's social media world. Cristina Martinez and her famous lamb barbacoa has been featured on Netflix, as well as recognized by James Beard. I love her story, butvI will be honest about the food I tasted. Is it the best taco I ever had? No. That would be difficult since I have eaten way too many of them. Is it the best lamb barbacoa I ever had? No. The best version I had was in Mexico, and another in San Diego. Is it a great taco? Absolutely! 100%! It begins with the freshly made corn tortillas that your meat sits in. These were excellent. In addition, the condiments bar is awesome, with a huge selection of toppings for your tacos. Now let's talk about the different fillings and other eats. Lamb Barbacoa (8.5/10) - Literally fall off the bone tender, but it could be a bit more juicy and seasoned. As regards to the gaminess some people mentioned, it's lamb! I want it to taste like lamb. Pancita (8.5/10) - This one has got plenty of flavor because it's got spicy lamb offal sausage. However, I couldn't tell that it was lamb, just something well seasoned and delicious. Ultimately that's what's important right? This was fantastic! Carnitas (7.5/10) - A good slow cooked pork shoulder is always yummy. Now do that in lard and you'll get a wonderful piece of meat that's falling apart to the touch. Not sure if this one sat around because a couple bites were slightly dry. Still not bad. Cochinita Pibil (6.5/10) - Not sure which cut of pork they used, but we definitely got some tough and dry pieces that didn't taste great. Flavor was decent. I had this dish in Mexico and I would say this version is far from it. Can't win them all. Barbacoa Consomé (8/10) - Essence of the lamb cooked over hours and then clarified. What's not to love. There were chickpeas and rice in the soup. Menudo Soup (8/10) - Huge fan of honeycomb tripe and cow's foot, which this soup has. Very tender. For the price, I do wish there were more of it, but the overall taste was very good. With the fame, you have to expect the prices are somewhat gonna match. Individual tacos are $7, so it is on the expensive side. However, knowing the amount of work that goes into the product, as well as the background story of its existence, I don't mind the restaurant making some extra money if people are willing to pay for it. Hey! You got influencers in NYC paying $15 for a donut or bagel. Lol In conclusion, I may have experienced some better tacos in other parts of the world, but this is one of the better Mexican specialty restaurants on the east coast that I know. When in Philly, I will still come and enjoy their tacos and take a kilo home for the week.

They have some of the best quesadillas in Philly! The complimentary chips with beans and queso are…read moredelicious--and that's just the starter! I highly recommend the quesadillas de pollo with a refreshing Agua de Horchata. Their homemade corn tortillas are amazing, and you can really taste the difference! I definitely have to come back and try the birria tacos next. The food is 10/10--authentic, flavorful, and delicious. The staff is also super kind and welcoming.

Early today I wanted something neutral to eat before my evening shift…read more I have dietary restrictions and have to be mindful of what I eat. The Shrimp Tacos with no dairy & no aioli are my go to for a fresh, healthy, tasty and timely meal. I ordered via delivery, but the warm ambience is like you were invited to someone's home for a good meal.

Location vine street , philly........ordered the birria tacos and cheesy birria ramen , my sister…read moreloves the green sauce..... 10/10 .... , service was great ........Recommend

This place is known for their birria, and I think it is okay, normal. The portion is big overall,…read morebut price is not cheap so reasonable I guess. The quesadilla is okay. I think the quesa birra taco would be better but somehow I ordered wrong so will update next time I try. I don't recommend the ramen because the noodle is overcooked; they do give a lot of meat tho. I also tried al pastor and campechano (steak, al pastor, and chorizo (slightly spicy)). They are both okay, but would love to have some pineapple in there. Would like the option to be able to mix birria taco with others. Watermelon agua fresca is good.

El Vez has good Mexican food in a fun, upscale setting. The menu has all the staples, focusing…read moremainly on tacos and enchiladas. They also have an extensive tequila list, and margaritas to round out the theme. Our group got chips and guacamole to start, which were good. Guac tasted fresh, pretty standard fare. For entrees, I got the cauliflower al pastor tacos, and was happy with my dish. The seasoning was pretty good for a creative twist on al pastor...no pineapple though, which was disappointing. Service was phenomenal, our server was incredible at keeping an eye on us, and É was especially helpful in accommodating the various dietary restrictions within our group. Definitely a good choice for Mexican in a nice setting!

The service was pretty good. Attentive…read more I really liked the red snapper. Cooked well. The rice was perfect!

Cantina is a restaurant in a refurbished bar. It still feels like the old corner bar. Lighting is…read moresubdued but you can still see the menu. Booths and bar seating is available as well as a patio on weekends. It is located in a sketchy area but a police car is stationed on the corner. I felt as safe as I do in other areas of Philly. Street parking is available within a few feet. The cocktails were very good with many different kinds of margs and other drinks. Beer and wine are also available. We were greeted as soon s we walked in by both the bartender and one of the owners. Our server brought water as soon as we sat down. She was attentive and helpful with explanations. The food here is authentic! Several different kinds of guacamole are available. We chose the one with pomegranate. It added a nice crunch and flavor. One with grasshopper was available. lol that was a no for me! The trio of empanadas were delicious. We shared a carnitas taco platter and branzino platter. The tacos were tasty. The branzino was cooked nicely with good flavor. The rice and beans and Brussels spouts and mushrooms were all delicious. I'll definitely be back!

Came here for lunch. Driving and parking is fine in the day. As others mentioned its not a good…read morearea to walk around. Inside I enjoyed the decor and vibe. Staff very friendly. Good: old fashioned, tri-mix of guac (liked the truffle one), steak tacos. Not so good:coco tartare app, I thought most of the other tacos were tried were very okay for the price and would not recommend (shrimp, pastor (one of my least favorite versions of pastor), one with habaenro (not spicy at all). Would have enjoyed some actual spicy salsa to go with it. Overall, I sadly can't really recommend it.

I used to come here all the time pre-covid and get their tacos. When I came back this time, it was…read moreessentially just as good as I remembered! We ordered the carne asada, chorizo, and al pastor tacos. All of them were so good but my favorite would have to be the chorizo. The tacos came with plenty of cilantro, onions, salsas, and even a jalapeno and grilled onion in each box! Unfortunately, no more cactus but I can't blame them. I don't know why I haven't gotten their tacos in a while but after having them recently, I was craving them for at least a week after that. 10/10 spot

I was in the area and saw this spot had great reviews. I cheated on my usual non beef diet and…read moretried their carne asada. It was only okay - and my barometer is "if it was worth the cheat" to eat beef and it was not. The last time had a carne asada tacos was in Long Beach CA and my mistake was probably thinking it would be the same or similar. The beef was a bit dry, but flavors were good and marinated well. They serve it with a salsa verde and Smokey spicy salsa, roasted jalapeños and onions. The tacos are double tortilla and plenty of filling to make them two smaller tacos per "single" taco. The price posted on the wall was $13 for carne asada but they charged $14.. not sure why but I wasn't in the mood to ask or argue. Overall, maybe I would try something else on their menu the next time I'm in the area? On the fence .. Cash only, take out vibes - a handful of seats if eating in.

I have not ordered from here in years. They have a lot of…read moremenu options. Great portions Cost effective Flavorful Nice ambiance Dine in or take out Several desserts Fresh , timely and kind service.

Had a party of 5 birthday celebration so we sat ourselves down outside for a perfect night out…read more It's BYO which was perfect for me as I had a Costco sized añejo tequila and made fresh squeezed key west limeaid, pineapple juice, sparkly water and for the non drinker they made it a Virgin. also Los Gallos Hortchata is delicious Rounds of chips, excellent homemade verde and Roja salsas, guacamole the ceviche special was just ok could have had more seafood, but I wouldn't get it again. But everything else was amazing. We got a bunch of orders of Queso Birria I think one of my favorite in the city, sopes, and lots of tacos. Perfect night out

7/10 Absolutely loved the atmosphere, service was QUICK-- the music was great, and overall it had…read morea really nice vibe. They have a great Taco Tuesday deal with $1 tacos, offering carnitas and chicken tacos as part of the special. The carnitas tacos were seasoned perfectly -- 8/10. The only thing that would elevate them even more would be adding pico. The chicken tacos were a 4/10 unfortunately. They lacked flavor and tasted like plain boiled chicken placed on a tortilla, which was disappointing. We also ordered the Tres Salsa and chips. Out of the three salsas, the green and red were the standouts and packed the most flavor. For drinks, we ordered margaritas on the rocks ($5, plus $2 additional for flavor). I tried mango and passion fruit -- the mango tasted more like orange juice, while the passion fruit maintained its flavor much better. If you're looking for a family-friendly indoor/outdoor spot, this is a great option. I noticed a good mix of couples and singles, which made for a nice atmosphere. Bar seating is limited at night, and outdoor seating closes around 7:00 PM. Overall, for Taco Tuesday, I'd give it a 7/10 -- great atmosphere and deals, but food consistency could use some work.

3 tacos per order. Kinda bar-ish vibes and loud Some of the…read moretacos were too salty, while others lacked salt. I remember the mushroom taco being very mushy. The hot sauces carried the dishes Maybe it would be worth it during happy hour but I left disappointed with the food.

Hands down the best Mexican in the city . Nachos , birria tacos , bowls . All of it . Can't go…read morewrong . Only thing --no disrespect but the young lady at the counter when I was there with purple hair --not who you want as your "front facing " person the minute you are greeted . Nice enough , just not what you'd call a "people person" Your front of the house should be the type who greet your guests heartily when they walk through the door and are not obvious introverts who are great diligent workers --but do best back of house where their other skills are valued d enhanced .thst is not the job for her , lol. Also one suggestion: if folks spend a certain amount --maybe over $20 , with the exception of guacamole due to food cost , I would not nickel and dime them over the small sides like a little more pico --food cost on those is low and you're tripping over the proverbial dollar --to pick up a nickel --providing small portions of those items --doesn't really affect your bottom line --and really keeps people coming back . Prices are good otherwise. Good value . If you want to cut back somewhere ,the amount of ground beef on the nachos could be cut in less than half and still be plenty and that will actually cut your food cost by a small fortune

I usually have the fish or plant-based chorizo bowl for takeout…read more Well I am not only hungry but exhausted. Management was kind to grill the shrimp instead of fried for my burrito bowl. Made fresh and timely. Dietary restrictions are accommodated. This was my first time dining in and felt warm and comfortable. Nice background music while looking out the window at South Street.

Authentic mexican food & good service. Pricing for portion size is also excellent. Will return here…read moreat least once a week. Small inside but plenty of seating and very clean!!!

Have been wanting to eat here for a while. Ordered delivery and things were packaged with care and…read morepresentation was still good. So many options and they have breakfast as well. Want return!