It's great. Now that we got that out of the way, when you first move into a neighborhood the first thing I do is scope out the local restaurants. And boy oh boy, when I discovered El jarocho, I'm not even sure if I even need to try anywhere else. This place seriously rocks. A small cantina tucked away in the corner with some excellent Mexican cuisine. In particular, their steak tacos and nachos are phenomenal. Great portion sizes and reasonable prices. The owners are super nice and quick to have an order ready when done over the phone. Very prompt service. While I mostly do take-out, eating in is also highly recommended because those fresh nachos and salsa just keep coming. Do attend (locally especially) read more

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I crave their shrimp burritos multiple times every week. They're FAT and perfect in every way. We have never dined in, but we get takeout from them at least once a month. We call ahead, and it's ready in like 15 min. Their guac serving is generous, and it's very creamy and comes with lots of chips. We also never fail to order get al pastor tacos and were pleasantly surprised by the veggie fajitas one time, which even has broccoli in it! It's painful to walk our dog past here many times during the week without getting their food :( read more

This place is usually delicious but the problem is that when you order a burrito they put this salad on the side in the container that leaves your burrito dripping wet. It's as if they poured a cup of water over the burrito and then closed the box. It's so gross the way it's dripping with water on the outside of the tortilla. Today I asked to skip the salad. So now I have a terrible burrito that has absolutely no toppings on it. Just rice and beans in a tortilla. Dear god who would order that???? I'm so disappointed. read more

Food was great! Ordered 3 chorizo tacos and an order of rice and beans. You get complimentary chips and salsa. They make the food to order but also comes out so quick. Pretty great choice! read more

El Jarocho - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wow! The service and atmosphere in this place was amazing. It felt like "home." The tacos were so delicious. I went around 12-2pm on a Friday. There's about 3-4 desks if you want to dine in. The food was really good. Portion size is big. I only finished half a cemita. Everything in this cost around $50-$55 (plus tipping). Highly recommend if your in the philly area read more

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No reason to give this less than 5 stars as a take out option. Portions were generous and it wasn't too expensive (a blessing these days). The staff was friendly inside and I can tell they're nice people. Whenever I walk by there's always a large group dining in the small but cozy space. Flautas were actually delicious and the queso transferred well to go! My friend loved her burrito. Will be back! read more

I bought the nachos without meat and burrito with Mexican sausage. Hefty portions, but everything I received lacked flavor. I didn't taste anything. It was filled with pico de gallo, meat, rice, and beans, and nothing had flavor. I appreciated how thick the tortillas were for the nachos, but nothing else was memorable. They have a sitting area and a bathroom to wash your hands, so that is a plus. read more

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I got the al pastor burrito, which was very yummy. Refreshing, didn't feel greasy. But they went super light on the al pastor meat since I barely tasted any in my burrito. My friend got the sopes and thought they were great. The masa cake was very high quality along with the pastor, but thought there was a bit too much lettuce Also the prices. keep. changing. so you don't know what the menu will look like when you go in. I still think the food was worth the price though. plus, free chips read more

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This little hole in the wall place is a MUST TRY - specifically if you're looking for good nachos that are ooey gooey and topped with steak that you'd kill for (follow @phillynachoes on IG for more). The food is authentic and you get so many salsas to choose from! And not to mention chips and salsa while you wait. Don't let the location stop you from going in. read more

**Update** Food and Drink Ordered: * worth trying - [Tacos*]: During one of the subsequent time I came to El Jarocho, I ordered three of the shrimp tacos because you can't mix and match if you order shrimp. The shrimp tacos were pretty good; the shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned and not dry. - [Burrito Jarocho]: The shrimp wasn't spicy at all and the burrito was surprisingly bland despite all of the different ingredients in it. I had to eat it with one of the sauces that the order came with for some flavor. Would I go back? : Potentially. My husband really likes their guacamole haha. At this point, I've come here three times. I think, overall, the chicken tinga tacos and shrimp tacos taste the best here and the burritos are on the bland side. read more

Stumbled on this place after getting into the city. Atmosphere was laid back and delightfully rustic. Service was excellent and the food was definitely homemade! Filling was abundant and seasoned perfectly. This place should be your go to if you're in the neighborhood. read more

All I wanted to say is that this place is the bomb.com. My go to is always the Al Pastor, delicious and inexpensive. Yelp wants me to type more than I need to. So... This place is a must try Al pastor is muy delicioso Hope thats enough Yelp! read more

El Jarocho - Al Pastor! - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of my favorite spots in Philly. The Al pastor tacos are fantastic, as are the salsas.

I returned here today and had a very good Mexican burrito, with steak. As before, they brought chips and 2 salsas, one a creamy one. Seats at lunchtime were scarce, but I joined a group of 4 who were happy to share. I knocked off a star because, just like on my last visit, the bill was higher than what the menu said, $15 instead of $12. Some of that was tax, sure, but still, I hate surprises. So be ready for that. I just noticed they are using the 2019 picture I took as the lead photo atop this page. Yay for me. read more

Homestyle look, cheap massive portions, good Mexican food and people. Went for a quick lunch and got quesadillas and partner got enchiladas. Everything was enormous so go hungry or accept leftovers. The quesadillas were different from my norm but were good and the mole on the enchilada hit the spot! They also served some drinks new to us like a rice milk with cinnamon. Staff was very friendly and helped us before we asked. Each meal was 10-12$ 5/5 read more

El Jarocho serves up some really great authentic Mexican food, and I look forward to grabbing lunch here every time I visit Philly. I am in love with their chorizo. It is arguably the best I've ever had. It is perfectly seasoned and so yummy. I've had it on both their tacos and in their burritos, and it never dissappoints. Once their food is in front of me, all I need is a bottle of Tapatío and it is a wrap for whatever is on my plate, so long as it includes their chorizo. It should also be noted that they have a cute atmosphere, efficient service, and an extensive drink collection. (Mexican coke FTW y'all). Overall, if you find yourself in Philly with a craving for authentic Mexican, El Jarocho is the place to go. Psssssst ... get the chorizo! read more

El Jarocho - Chorizo Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Most incredible steak burrito I have ever had. Nachos are the best. The chips are the good kind of chips. Service is so fast and reliable. I usually get it delivered in the winter but in the summer I eat in store. The ambiance is quiet and calm. So glad I found this place. read more

Off for a little lunchtime jaunt a few months ago and I stumbled upon this place. A complimentary pile of chips were delivered to my table almost immediately. It came with spicy green salsa and another cheesier version (served at room temperature). They were both tasty, but like another Yelper, I wish the chips weren't so hard. Crispy is good, but if they almost break your teeth, not so much. It was my only complaint about the meal. I ordered a $9 burrito with carnitas. It was huge. A small baby. The dish came with a tiny side salad. The burrito was absolutely delicious. I finished half and saved the rest for later. read more

El Jarocho - Complimentary chips with salsas - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I ordered 4 sets of tacos through delivery with 2 sprites (best sprites ever in glass bottles) and that rang up to $58 since it was delivered and they included a FREE LITER OF JARRITOs. Will always come back here. Delivery service was super quick and the food was amazing. Worker taking my order was super kind and so was the delivery guy. read more

El Jarocho - Chorizo tacos - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A weekly take-out staple in our household. Never disappoints. My husband makes us order two bags of chips and salsa for two people because he won't share. read more

El Jarocho was easily one of the best authentic Mexican restaurants I ever tried. The tacos were outstanding as was the hospitality and vibe this restaurant has to offer. Very friendly staff and the prices were very much reasonable. If you're in South Philly you must give this place a try. 10/10 recommend read more

Food was great, service was great! Check out Taco Tuesday if you can it's a good deal. Great local restaurant

Good food and good prices and friendly service and also good delivery service, tacos always good.

Friendly staff. Food came out fast. My husband had al pastor burrito and he said it's good. I had lengua aka beef tongue tacos and it's the most tender I've ever had. The tongue is cut in dice shape. Flan is ok not too sweet. read more

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Came here upon recommend of a friend and got the al pastor burrito. My gosh, that thing had some heft to it. Normally, I can eat a lot but even this burrito got me doing a double take and trying to catch my breath. I was surprised how full I got from one burrito. While the size of the burrito was already the plus, the flavors were also on point. Good mixture of fresh + cooked ingredients, and the amount of rice was the ratio. Some places fill it all the way up with rice, but this place keeps a good balance of the core ingredients and really lets the al pastor meat shine. The al pastor was definitely above average from the ones I've gotten in the past, but that's a high bar, especially since I grew up in Texas and have experienced some of the best Mexican food there. The complimentary chips and salsa they gave was also very delicious. Both sauces were amazing, and the chips definitely seemed fresh. One complaint I had was the prices on the menu were not up to date and it ended up costing a bit more than the listed price. They definitely need to update their menus. Overall, a very satisfying experience. 4/5 stars. read more

El Jarocho - Al pastor burrito - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

And they are back in business during this pandemic!! Take out available. Which means I've been there... 3 out of the 5 days after work. read more

El Jarocho - Carney asade blew our minds! - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Interesting little Mexican restaurant tucked away on Ellsworth Street, one block down from the Broad Street Diner. First, I know these operators take pride in this place. Locals tell me they are often cleaning up outside. I can say my tacos were tasty. And for nine bucks you get a BELLY-BUSTING amount of food. (The taste/value ratio is good here.) ADDITIONAL NOTES: If you are a heavy person, don't count on being able to use the restroom. It's one of the smallest restaurant restrooms I've seen. Watch the steps as you exit. It's a little tricky. There's no parking lot. Your only option is street parking. OR go to Target and park in their garage (it might cost you?). Then walk a long block to get here. read more

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The shrimp burrito was delicious. It's huge and can be shared but the quesadillas were just ok. It's not the usual cheese used this is a thicker white cheese. It's not bad I just didn't expect the texture or taste. read more

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All hail pink sauce! The food here is so good, I recommend the steak burrito with chips and plenty of pink sauce

Save yourself from going to this place at all cost. Not only was the food very subpar, but the prices on the menu were not the actual prices. They supposedly raise all the prices when you get the actual bill. So if you get a burrito instead of what was listed on the menu as $12, it's 14, and if you get the alambre, it's actually $19 instead of $15.50, as stated on the menu. On top of that, they include a ridiculous amount of tip in the bill. The food is not worth it, and especially not worth being scanned for. These people are very dishonest. In summary, they are conniving scammers and you can find way better Mexican food elsewhere. Very very disappointed in this place. read more

Wonderful people, excellent tacos, always kindness, and their hot sauce alongside the cream sauce for chips while you wait is amazing.

Literally the best steak tacos on the east coast. I lived in the neighborhood for years and they would deliver... when I moved into the city they would still deliver occasionally(I'd like to think because I was their most loyal taco costumer). EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC. I don't even live in Philly anymore but when I go back I always try to get an order. I love them. The pink/ orange sauce on the steak tacos is EVERYTHING read more

Very good Mexican joint between Center City and South Philly. It's a small place and with minimum decor. The chips and salsa (on the House) are too good. Salsa packed a punch. Had me sipping soda after every bite. Loved it!! I have not had a burrito better than their Al Pastor, ever. Just the perfect mix and balance of meat, rice, beans, the sauces and tortilla. Delicious!! read more

El Jarocho - Al Pastor Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So delicious, fergalicious. Tasty tasty. I had three al pastor tacos. (Fucking DELICIOUS) Ella had tostadas (she loved em) EAT HERE OR SUFFER REGERTS read more

El Jarocho - Ella P and her go to favorite chicken tostadas #alwaysgetsthesething - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10/10. Amazing authentic Mexican food! I'm from Mexico City and I'm always searching for the perfect tacos and this place comes pretty damn close. The seasoning they use it's authentic and everything tastes delicious! If you are not sure what to get because their menu is pretty big, just go for the tacos. Carne asada, campechano, pastor and lengua are my favorite. The rice and beans are also delicious as well as their green and red authentic Mexican sauces. Oh and don't forget to have an original Mexican soda Jarritos or a refreshing agua fresca! Horchata it's my favorite. You won't be disappointed!!! I wish it was closer to city line avenue! read more

El Jarocho - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Based on the Yelp reviews I read, I was really excited to try this place out. Unfortunately, I just didn't find the service or food to be spectacular here. We entered the joint around 8pm on a Saturday night and sat, waiting for menus and water, for about 10 minutes. Granted, they were busy with to-go orders, but still. My "vegetarian" quesadilla was overly loaded with cheese, to the point where I couldn't finish my entree. Also, there were, in fact, no veggies in this meal besides the shredded iceberg and diced tomatoes that came on top. The service didn't improve much over the course of our visit, and in fact, our water pitchers were not refilled once. The only redeeming quality for me was that my friends really enjoyed their meals! Their burritos and enchiladas looked pretty appetizing! Once again, I'm guessing I was just visiting on an "off" night, since this place has such high reviews overall - however, I'm certainly not going to be in a rush to eat at El Jarocho again. read more

El Jarocho - Vegetarian quesadillas - El Jarocho - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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El Jarocho's food is authentic and good! This little neighborhood spot is only has about 5 tables, so I tend to order take out most of the time. The food is fresh, and the wait is never long. The people are always nice and helpful. One time, my friend wanted fish tacos, but could not find it anywhere on the menu, but they were willing to accommodate her order. Best thing on the menu is probably their tacos! However, I feel like their prices are higher compared to the other local Mexican establishments. While, I do like this place and will eat here on occasion, I do like other locations much more than El Jarocho. read more

This hole in a wall Mexican joint is a hidden gem in South Philly. Awesome non pretentious foods, love the tacos mixed combo w/ the side of beans and cactus. I go here on a monthly basis. Service is ok but who cares, I come here for the real deal foods. read more

Usually my go to spot Mexican food. When you sit down, you get complementary chips and salsa. There's about 10 tables there and something playing on the tv. I get the tacos - chorizo, steak, and beef. Comes with raw onions, cilantro, radishes, cactus, and lime. You can taste the soy sauce that they use in their food, which I don't mind. There are also two sauces that you get - I like the red one which is a chipotle sauce. read more

El Jarocho - Taco - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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SCAM ALERT!! I went to this place and ordered the Supreme enchiladas and after giving them the money they yanked the food away and demanded more money. They were unable to communicate in English and said they "changed the menu" (despite me clearly seeing the menu). These people are crooks and will charge you whatever they are feeling like. I gave in and tried the food just for grins, and it was mediocre. The sauce was sparse and had no flavor, the chicken was dry and the tortillas were soggy. Let this be the nail in the coffin for this restaraunt. read more