My friend and I came here for dinner one rainy night before an event. We both were excited to try this place after it being on our list for awhile. The decor inside is very cute and vibrant. This place takes no reservations but we were able to snag a table for two. My friend and I order the elote appetizer and two cemitas (hers was mushroom and mine was al pastor). The elote appetizer was okay. I felt like it did lack flavor and it was overpriced ($8!) for a corn cob split in half. We got our cemitas and dug in. My al pastor cemitas was a little dry. I felt it needed some sauce to cut the dryness. It was good but it needed more seasoning as well. With it being al pastor I expected to see more pineapple slices with the meat but I got two tiny slices on top of my pork. My friend said her mushroom cemita needed more flavoring as well. Overall we both thought the food experience was underwhelming. It was also expensive ($17-18 for a cemitas) but mid tasting food. read more

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This was our second visit here in South Philly But before returning We ventured out to the fishtown space to compare. It's more like a fast food grab and go atmosphere. Today at the South Philly location again did not disappoint us. I was celebrating my birthday and I'm glad I chose El Chingon. The Manager remembered us from our first visit and we were welcomed back with love. Our waitress Noelia was amazing. Very warm, friendly and professional. She kept a smile the entire time and checked in on us to see if we needed anything. Our BYOB choice for tonight was Tequila and I tell you the Traditional Margarita was a winner our Tacos of choice were Delicious and made with Love. If you're a true Mexican Foodie this is the perfect place to enjoy a meal. read more

The food was average, with some dishes tasting fine and others bland. Service was polite but slow, and the atmosphere pleasant enough for a casual, unremarkable dining experience tonight overall. read more

Happy to add to the El Chingon hype machine after having a gorgeous evening in their homey South Philly eatery a few weeks ago. I went with the Gringas tacos per the recommendation of our knowledgeable and helpful server, and I don't know if I'll ever order anything else honestly. These tacos pack a punch but are also somehow so light. I went in with the classic "I don't know how I'll eat all three of these" attitude and ended up not only absolutely obliterating my tacos...but also assisting my dining mates with theirs, for I am strong and they are weak. Kidding - but the quesabirria is also delicious, and I would go so far as to call these tacos transportative. The ceviche also looked stunning, and I will plan to leave room for the delicious pastries next time I can snag a seat here. They have an entire BYOT (bring your own tequila) section of the menu, so feel free to opt for that or bring along your own cervezas to enjoy alongside your meal if you wish. They do also have some (more limited, now, compared to their previous setup) outdoor seating and I think they have some very big things ahead of them. Grateful to have this team and this food in Philly and cannot wait to get back! read more

El Chingon - Tacos Gringas - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The service here was unmatched. Everyone was so attentive and nice. First impression, very clean, hip beautiful space. When we arrived it was very busy and then it seemed to slow down a bit but yay us for arriving at a good not so busy time. For our beverages we went with the sparkling lemonade which was very refreshing. I loved it, my darling husband however wasn't much of a fan. We started out with the papas chingonas which were really good. Its French fries with mayo, lime, tajin and I used the red & green sauce for additional dipping (just for good measure). The skirt steak tacos were delicious, again I used the red & green sauces and it was so good. The al pastor cemita was huge and tasty. The dessert was refreshing as well, I'd like to come back and try everything off of the menu as it was all just so good! read more

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Found in South Philly. Walking distance from a parking lot. Trendy, super clean restsurant. A few tables outside with heated lamps. We were seated inside . The server quickly brought out waters and menus. We didn't order apps. They had a good selection, though. We ordered the milanesa beef sandwich and the tuna aguachiles. Both had great flavors. The tuna came with two toasted tortillas. I ingredients were fresh and delicious. For drinks, we ordered the horchata with a shot of expresso and the hibiscus with guava. They also had a few desserts to try. Would definitely come back to try more items on the menu. It's definitely a place to try if you're in the area. read more

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New menu new prices ! Ahhh the reviews are great and the people are coming and the prices are climbing. But still my new favorite place around!!! If I want more than tacos (south Philly barbacoa) then I come here because their brunch lunch menu is fantastic. All the new menu changes are great I highly recommend the birria if you're dining with a non pork eater. Otherwise I would be devouring all the Pibl and cubanos and al pastors and I haven't even gotten to the ceviches. Need a few visits to get it all in read more

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This place was so delicious! Its very cute and on the corner of a cute block. They have a great variety of offerings! It is BYO and has great service. We were quickly attended to and a short wait for a 4 person table on a weekend. We got the Remolacha which was a beets dish and was so good! Their cemitas are amazing- they have vegetarian ones and we got the clasica that was vegetarian. I highly recommend this place! read more

Absolutely delicious food here in a cozy setting. The inside area is a little cramped and they have outdoor seating too. They are usually very busy as the food is great. Had birria cemita and it was large and tasty. Good consome as well. Horchata tasty as usual. Thanks read more

El Chingon - Cemita Birria - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amazing authentic with a twist food experience. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff and the recommendations they shared. Loved the margarita base they have for BYO...Tequelia. We will be returning for more deliciousness!! read more

Fantastic spot for high quality innovative Mexican that still keeps to its roots. The hype around El Chigon is very well deserved. The tuno aguachile was a unique ceviche with its subtle use of traditionally Mexican spices that just works really well. Our table's favorite was the rabbit tinga tostada that was a fantastically tasty and flavorful starter. The big hits were the cemitas which were a hit, especially the one made with chorizo and cheese. The pork shank tacos was a nice dish by itself but the other items we ordered were just so good that it really served more as a filler for our group. Service was very friendly and the place has a nice familiar neighborhood vibe that's casual and unpretentious. So happy to have tried El Chingon and will certainly be back. read more

I had the choripapas and it was so good, serving size was huge as well. My friends that got the tacos and everything else said their food was great. Indoor seating seems kinda tight but outdoors was great! Especially with the warmer weather. Decor was beautiful. Staff were super friendly and attentive. Would come again for sure! read more

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Absolutely worth the hype! Some of the best Mexican food I've had in Philly. We came to celebrate my friends birthday and got two pitchers of the Jamaica and traditional mixes to have with the mezcal we brought. Love the BYOT concept they have. We shared the ceviche tropical and loved it, and almost all of us ordered the shrimp tacos special. The tacos were divine, with squid ink tortillas and a cheese crust around the shrimp. The shrimp themselves were deliciously marinated. Hoping this becomes a regular menu item! Would 100% go back, and the service was very friendly. read more

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We went to the South Philly location on a recommendation from family. I ordered the Tacos Hongos al Ajillo, mushroom tacos with garlic, and my husband ordered Tacos Pescado. They were delicious! We had the coffee flan for dessert; I've never had a better flan! We'll definitely dine there again. If you enjoy authentic Mexican food, look no further! read more

My friend has been raving about this place and of course I am excited to see what it's all about. This is located in South Philadelphia and the place couldn't be more cozy/cute (inside and out). We came in on a Tuesday evening without prior ressie and luckily, was able to get an outdoor seating. FOOD: presentation were great but i wished the flavor was more. Horchata - watery and weak flavor. Elote - not bad. Good for 3 people. Tacos Cochinita Pibil - meat falls off the bone! This was one of my favs. Wished the they gave more tortillas (3) since the meat portion was a lot. Tacos Pescado - nothing out of the ordinary Cemita Pastor Tradicional - good amount of pineapple, so i like. Cemita Birria - where is the flavor. Once again, presentation made it look delish, but absolutely need more seasonings and add it to the consome too, pls. Arroz Con Tres Leches - that arroz a bit undercooked, needs to cook longer and need to be sweeter. SERVICE: our hostess/server was super pleasant and this has nothing to do with their lack of service but other tables who came after us received their food faster than ours. So the wait time is longer than expect expected. PRICE: let's just say it's an elevated Mexican resto price. Overall, good vibes - try it with your friends. read more

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$12 for their tres leches cake which is a small milky cottage cheese with a thin layer of hard sugar on top. highway robbery. please fix your pricing or fix your dessert, as they do not match! read more

What a tasty Mexican place not on 9th st! They can get really busy, and I don't think they take reservations so I called about a wait time before taking the arduous 5 min trek from home (We tried to go previously and were turned away with a 45 min wait on a Thursday - not making that mistake again). We got an octopus tostada that was a special, a guac, horchata and a classic cemita. Cemita was the best, followed by the tostada then the guac. I wish the guac came with more chips, but they will bring you more if you ask! The horchata was a huge serving big enough to share and not grainy. The cemita was perfect. They serve some pickled peppers on the side you can put on to spice it up and carve out a bit from the top piece of (homemade) bread so you can try your best to fit a bite without it falling everywhere. Lmk if you have better luck than me, despite that safety measure! read more

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This place is dramatically overpriced. The food quality and seasoning are nothing above average. I love eating at Mexican spots and I'm fine with spending more for good quality food. But three small tacos are $20, and the food quality and meat quality is just not there. The fries literally had cheese whiz on them. The sandwich was hard and lacking much other than bread, a few small toppings, and super tough beef. This is my second time trying it and I'm disappointed again :/ read more

I saw their Instagram post that they're making beef-tongue tacos. It came in 3 tacos with nopales aka cactus. This is the first time I ate tacos de lengua where the beef tongue was served as a fillet. It's so tender and not fatty. Concha rellena: according to the menu, the filling is supposed to be Nutella however I didn't taste it at all. read more

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This place is absolutely fantastic. Such a cute space and down-to-earth approach despite the unbelievably good food. The servers were super nice, knowledgeable, attentive. Loved the vibe. But the food was best of all - we got a few different tacos plus a cemita and it was all so so good. Will absolutely be back!!! Only real downside is the $$$ but it's worth it read more

El Chingon - Cemita Choriqueso - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here on a Saturday night in a party of two hoping to snag seats, and we were fortunate enough to squeeze in at the bar! The decor and atmosphere is clean, chill, and homey. To start, we ordered the elote (corn on the cob with black garlic mayo, lime, cotija cheese, and tajin) which was delicious. We were going to order the Tacos Arabes Vegan (oyster mushrooms, herbs, onions, tangy chipotle salsa, sourdough flour tortillas) and Mushroom Arabe Cemita to split, but since the two dishes had similar flavor profiles, our waiter suggested we instead order the Cubana Cemita (choice of Milanese protein with avocado and quesillo) with portobello as the protein. It was an excellent suggestion and we were so glad he advised it. Everything was incredible. Even though we were pretty full, we had to try dessert. We ordered the Arroz con Tres Leches with strawberries - it was a delicious tres leches meets rice pudding and a perfect way to end the meal. Service throughout the evening was excellent. I highly recommend paying El Chingon a visit! read more

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Excellent and tasty, interesting menu. Small restaurant but we went off hours so it was easy to get a table. Recent Michelin notice is well-deserved! read more

Highly recommend lunch at El Chingon! We arrived hungry and managed to snag the last two top*. Started with Choripapas (french fries, green chorizo, melted cheese, guacamole), which was terrific: crispy, well-seasoned fries, fresh guacamole, and well-balanced chorizo and cheese! Also got a Tehucanazo (sparkling lemonade) and a Champurrado (maiz, milk, chocolate, espresso) to drink**. The former had a nice zing. The latter was thicker than expected (the maiz?) and tasty. For our mains, we got two cemitas: the Al Pastor Tradicional (adobo pork, grilled pineapple , habanero peppers, onions, cilantro) and the Birria (braised in adobo beef, house cheese, onion, cilantro, consome), both of which were scrumptious. Recommend slathering on the two salsas (green and red), which were smoky and medium spicy, squeezing on the lime halves, and possibly trying El Chingon's habanero sauce if you're up for an extra kick! Otherwise, service was delightful and the space was inviting. We'll definitely be back (with others!). *Counter seating is also available! **BYOB and order Jarrito Mi, Michelada Traditional, Michelada Aguachile, or Tradicional! read more

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Color me disappointed via one GrubHub order. My courier was late and one item was missing so I admit I was bitter. But the food didn't seem suited to delivery, for example the guacamole didn't come with chips but large tostadas, it didn't seem right. The salad also seemed light for the price. The ceviche was very good but overpriced for the portion. The tacos seemed small though they were tasty. If I think to order again and they improve, I will revise my rating. read more

Super delicious Mexican food in South Philly! The space is quite small so I imagine you might have a bit of a wait during peak times. The interior is really fun and the sink in the bathroom is designed to look like a guacamole mortar. It was so hard choosing from the menu, especially since there was a brunch menu in addition to the regular menu. I ordered: Champurrado ($4.25) - 5/5. This drink was so tasty, I had most of it before my food even arrived. It's like a caffeinated hot chocolate. I also tried my friend's Marzapano, which was a peanut-based coffee beverage, and that was delicious too. Taco Placero with al pastor ($16) - 5/5. I was amazed by how massive this taco was. It was basically a burrito encasing rice, beans, guac, and meat. I couldn't even finish the whole thing. The taco dishes also looked super filling and big, and I really considered ordering the 10" quesadilla... Service was super warm, and you can pay the check digitally. I will have to return here to try the other items on their menu! read more

Wonderful service and super clean restaurant. After having their choripapas, I cannot think of having french fries any other way! read more

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Worth every single penny. That's it. Go here. Order everything. You can't go wrong. BYOB read more

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The food was very tasty and flavorful and the ambiance was great and the service was top notch

So good, finally got in on our third try, its pretty small inside so in the winter months when the outdoor seating isnt open its even more difficult to get a table. We had tried on a Friday evening and then on a Tuesday (but the week of Thanksgiving) and both times they werent taking any more names. I would try and come earlier in the evening or be prepared to wait/ have a backup plan if you can not get in. That being said it is worth the wait or eating at a less popular time! When we finally scored a table I was with my parents and boyfriend. We came around 530 on a Sunday and found parking easily outside, didnt have to wait at all. My mom had looked it up online so she knew to BYOB. You can order homemade mixers and they brought out glasses with salted rims which was a real table pleaser! I had the horchata and it was really one of the best I have ever had! Super creamy, and cool, with that touch of cinnamon. The place is decorated very nicely, modern trendy, but still felt like the right vibe for the place. I had heard amazing things about the birria tacos so I ordered them for all of us to share and they were a real hit at the table, super tender and gooey cheese coming out! My dad liked them so much he got another order as his meal and my mom loved the beef to much she tried the birria cemita. They make the cemita rolls in house so the sandwiches' are really fresh and kind of above the level of your standard sandwich. I got the pollo cemita and the chicken was thin and crispy and it had really good chipotle peppers right on the sandwich. My boyfriend got the fish tacos, which he really enjoyed, said they were fresh and flavorful. We shared the pappas and they had tajin on them and were super fresh and crispy, wishing I had a few for lunch right now :) In comparison to other places with such hype its a really great deal pricewise! They are on the delivery apps so since I live in south philly I think I will try to get delivery one of these weekends when its still cold and dreary out! read more

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Cute little place in South Philly that was named one of NYT's top 50 restaurants in 2023. The vibe of this restaurant is very cute yet casual, and it's pretty small. We went on a Friday night around 6:30 which was perfect timing because we got seated right away (they don't take reservations!) I noticed that more people started showing up closer to 7pm and had to either sit at the bar or wait for a table to open up. Despite the restaurant getting more and more crowded, our service was quick. We ordered the guacamole to start and I enjoyed it. The tortilla chips were clearly fresh, still warm, and very crispy. I got the cemita clásica with chicken which was good! The bread was amazing -- a little crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. The chicken was cooked perfectly although I do think it was sliiiightly lacking in flavor. Still, it was delicious. The sandwich was large so I saved half for a yummy lunch the next day. Overall this place was great and I would definitely come back to try more items on the menu! Parking situation: we street parked for free and walked for ~5 mins to get to the restaurant (the neighborhood it's in is very cute). There are probably lots nearby though if parallel parking is not your thing. read more

The staff who answered the phone when I called to change my reservation was super friendly and helpful! We went for brunch, and everything was excellent. The aquaChile special fresh and tasty with just the right amount of spice. The espresso was excellent as well as the flan. Service is fantastic. It does get a little loud but it's a jovial atmosphere and adorable decor. Recommend!! read more

Ate here for the first time on a Saturday night! I am from California, so I was super excited as I am used to great Mexican food and from what I had heard, El Chingon is the new place for amazing Mexican food in Philly. I'll start with the ambiance- really fun restaurant. Cozy inside, you are definitely close to your neighbors. The people at the bar were talking and laughing with the staff, it felt like a party! In regards to the wait time, they told us that it would be about 35 minutes but ended up seating us much more quickly. No reservations, it is first come first serve. I will note that there is no place to wait for your table but there are a ton of bakeries/bars in the area that you can chill at while you wait for a text. I found the staff to be very kind, polite and attentive. I was so, so excited and pleasantly surprised that we were seated so quickly. To be completely honest, I found the food to be a little bland. We started with the ceviche tropical, guacamole tatemado and the soup of the day which was tomato soup. Everything was okay but nothing was unique. Not much of the sharp, spicy flavors I am used to from Mexican food in California. We got the pescado tacos which was more of the same. I was planning on ordering dessert (had my eye on the espresso flan) but decided to pass because I was worried I would be disappointed. I would come back here for the ambiance or if someone suggested it but would not come back for the food. It is important to note that I am pescatarian so perhaps some of the meat dishes/tacos are more flavorful. read more

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Completely lives up to the hype! My friend and I felt super ambitious a few nights ago and decided to walk a mile in the rain so we could finally eat here. 100% worth braving the weather. They have an adorable little space off Passyunk. It's homey but modern at the same time. We were seated right away, although it was pretty busy and stayed consistently busy through the night. Still, the service was quick. I got the horchata and my friend got the lemonade- we really enjoyed both. We had the guacamole to start and then at the recommendation of our server, we got the classic chicken cemita and choriqueso cemita. We were skeptical about these, at first, since we really had our eyes on the tacos and don't usually associate sandwiches with Mexican food. Our waitress didn't lead us astray, though- both were delicious! And huge. We could only eat half of each cemita and the rest made a 10/10 lunch the next day. The waitress also mentioned they make the bread fresh in-store every day! For dessert, they had a few really interesting options (including tortilla ice cream) but we stuck with a classic and got the arroz con tres leches. Again, delicious. I'm getting hungry as a write this. I can't wait to come back here! The ceviches look delicious- honestly everything looks delicious- and I fully plan on working my way through the menu. read more

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It's good. It's not great. I'm a little surprised at how celebrated it is, honestly, but there's also not really any good Mexican food in the entire state of Pennsylvania. The elote was a bit underwhelming. But we enjoyed our entrées - the choriqueso (great bread) and birria tacos. Kind of a bummer that margaritas aren't an option, or any other tequila creations. We didn't try any of the beverages. It's worth a visit but we won't make any special effort to return. read more

Fun, Lively free chips & salsa girls working are all hot try!! Order double to get a Popsicles read more

El Chingon - Bahasa hombre - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

El Chingon was written about in The NY Times last October on one of their 25 best restaurants lists - that title is well deserved. The restaurant is tucked away in a corner but it should not be missed. The exterior is bright and inviting and the interior is warm and well decorated. Service was excellent and the food came out quickly. We shared the guacamole tatemado which was smokey and creamy, the chicken meatballs with nopales and homemade sourdough tortillas, and three types of tacos, skirt steak, chorizo and cheese, and mushroom. The tortillas were soft and fresh, the tacos were huge, and the fillings were incredibly tasty. We all agreed the mushroom taco was the star of the three, and the salsas and habanero cream complimented everything nicely. It is BYOB but don't skip their special drinks - I had a mango lime seltzer drink that we're still talking about. read more

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This place was never on my list and I never knew about it until I stumbled upon it while walking around South Philly. We got the Aguacachile Vegano, QuesaBirrias. The Aguacachile was so damn refreshing: it had avocado, heart of palms etc and the liquid seasoning was tangy and slightly spicy. So perfect on a hot day! The birria tacos were delicious as well. They are BYOB but will make Sangria, Michelada etc if you get your liquor of choice. My boyfriend instead ordered the Horchata Iced Latte and really liked it, I just thought it was different but meh. Food deserves a 5 stars. However, a few incidents left a bad taste in my mouth: 1) The server kept forgetting to bring the hot sauce to our table and we did not get it until only the last piece of birria tacos was left on my plate. Also, I was clearly wasn't done eating (I was literally taking a bite when this happened) and he asked if he could take the plate away - which was strange. 2) There was a hostess who was checking in on the patrons seated outside with water and asking them how the food and service was but she never approached our table. I saw her ask the people seated next to us and in front of us. I am not sure whether to think of her as rude (didn't appear so when she was talking to the other patrons) or racist but she was clearly discriminating (other patrons who she approached were white as well). Just to be clear, I am talking about a white female with blonde hair, she was wearing a pink top and white pants on Sunday May 21, 2023 around 5 PM. read more

Great food and service with a neighborhood vibe. We shared plates guacamole,crab tostadas chorizo queso tacos and al pastor tacos. The crab tostadas were a stand out very rich and full of crab but not fishy. Can't wait to go back! read more

El Chingon and Isgros - South Philly - El Chingon is a postage-stamp sized eatery that has lively but not in a kitchy or overdone way, decor. Our server was very gracious and great at explaining and recommending various dishes. We ordered the guacamole, posole, chilaquiles, shrimp ceviche, tres leches, lemongrass tacos and jamaica. Almost everything was extremely delicious and flavorful. The highlight was the smoked shrimp ceviche, not for the faint of heart spice-wise but had some complex and spicy notes in it..... very memorable. The posole was surprisingly not good, they didn't use a pork broth as a base as is tradtitionally used so it was missing one of the key flavor components and just tasted off. We did let our server politely know we didn't care for it ( and had only had a few spoonfuls) so surprised she didn't take it off of our bill. The tres leches cake was good but forgettable.... I wish I had tried some of their homemade ice-creams with flavors like marzipan etc. The one major negative about the environment was it was freezing. We were sitting next to a drafty window and there were no other tables available for our group and we couldn't wait an hour for a table that wasn't next to the door and the windows. We just wore our heavy coats during lunch I would come back here since some of the dishes were outstanding but not on a cold day. When I'm in South Philly, I can't escape the gravitational pull of Isgro's (that place is kryptonite for me ) , one of the best traditional bakeries in the city. We got almond horns, baba rums, caramel walnut tart, pignole cookies, rainbow cookies etc Everything fantastic as always. Overall a great culinary day in South Philly! read more

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What a treat! Absolutely amazing authentic Mexican food, and Carlos earns every bit of his 2023 James Beard nomination. Since they don't take reservations, thank goodness we got there at 5:30 on Friday because by 5:50, the place was mobbed. They have both indoor, high top/bar, and outdoor heated seating, so no matter the time of year, you have a seat. Being BYOB just verifies the 5-star rating. They have mixers so bring the tequila, the wine, the beer, they're ready for you. Can't say enough good about the food. The guacamole- classic. The tuna carpaccio special - fresh and fantastic. The rabbit tostada - something of perfection. The elote (Mexican street corn on the cob) - everything you ever hoped for. El Chingon is know for their cemitas (Mexican sandwiches) - the clasico is a classic for a reason (thinly pounded chicken, between freshly baked bread and some. Want tacos? The birria tacos are the best in the city. Don't trust me? Try them first yourself. Carlos, you've created something of beauty. Can't wait to come back. read more

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