This is THE PLACE for good Mexican food in the University City area! Soooo gooood and very…read morereasonably priced for the amount of food you get! The service was quick and friendly! The restaurant itself is small although I've found this is pretty common in the area, but still had plenty of seating along with outdoor seating. The decor is well themed!

Lovely spot close to UPenn, great placement to walk up and down Spruce! Loved the California…read moreBurrito there was so much flavor in it! Service was speedy but lacking in connection, I love supporting Latino businesses and this is one that gets it right for sure! Lots of seating! Many nearby shops to explore! Complimentary tortillas!

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.

I mean. What more do you want out of a taco place like this? You walk in very small, fairly unkept…read more"restaurant" of sorts, a man sort of grunts at you from behind a counter, the thermostat is turned off (if it even works at all), and the thermometer says 50 degrees. The menu is bigger than you'd expect it'd be for a place like this, tbh, but it doesn't matter because you know you're getting the tacos. And you do. And they're excellent because the gruff man makes them to order, and he fills them up, and you eat them and they're awesome. Solid 4* place.

run, don't walk, to this tiny no frills hole-in-the-wall taco joint. amazing authentic birria…read moretacos... generous portions of savory, fall-apart tender (not mushy) beef simmered in smoky, rich consommé -- think garlic, cumin, dried chiles. the tortillas are dipped in the consommé then griddled with queso, onions and cilantro. the side of consommé is deeply satisfying with bits of the birria beef swimming throughout.

solid spot for mexican food, plus points for convenience factor with reservations!…read more i live a 5-minute walk from el rey, so i have been a few times over the years. while it's not my favorite mexican place in the city, it's convenient, especially when you have a big group. there is plenty of seating, and they take reservations even for happy hour which is rare. the food here is decent. while it's nothing spectacular, it satisfies the craving and is a solid bite. the last time i went, we were able to order a mix of happy hour menu items and regular menu items since we were there for an early dinner at 5p. our table shared the chips and guac, and i ordered the brisket quesadilla. i was actually pleasantly surprised by the quesadilla, it was packed with meat and quite flavorful. my boyfriend got 4 tacos from the hh menu, and it's nice to be able to mix and match tacos. at ~$3/taco, the food here isn't exactly cheap, but its standard for the city. definitely no dollar taco though. our server was sweet but a little odd. he was talkative and kept making comments on how well we did finishing our food. not sure if it was a jab at our appetites (which i think is normal?? idk i don't think we ordered that much food lol) but we didn't mind the banter. made for a fun joke afterwards. the restaurant itself is decently sized with both outdoor and indoor seating. there are a few booths along the sides of the restaurant, a bar near the entrance, and a string of about of tables in the back which would be great for big groups. the decor is fun and quirky, makes for good conversation pointing out things on the walls. i would come back again for the convenience factor!

Loved the ambience, decor, and the service. We were ravenous when we went in and immediately got…read moreseated (2 people) on a Friday night. We got the vegetarian nachos (4/5) and the margaritas (guava 4/5, mango 3.5/5). The toppings on the nachos - beans, salsa, cheese and jalapeños were delicious. It felt like they skimped on the jalapeños but oh well. The guac (extra with the nachos) was wonderful! The drinks were both a little too sweet with excessive ice - a little expensive because the glass is filled with too much ice.

Hidden Gem in Old City!…read more Stopped in during happy hour on a Saturday (4-6 PM) and ended up having one of the most enjoyable afternoons we've had in Philly. We grabbed seats at the bar and were welcomed by Rich, the owner's son, who made some of the best margaritas and palomas we've had in a long time. Friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the restaurant, he made us feel like regulars from the moment we sat down. The chicken nachos were outstanding, piled high and packed with flavor. Our fellow Brazilian World Cup fans at the bar were raving about the quesadillas too. The happy hour prices were surprisingly affordable, especially for Old City. Pacifico on tap and great pitcher specials made it even better. What really sets this place apart is the atmosphere. Between the lively crowd, the family-owned hospitality, and hearing the story behind recipes passed down through generations from Veracruz, Mexico, it felt like much more than just a meal. It felt like being welcomed into someone's home. If you're visiting Old City, heading to Penn's Landing, or just searching for the best margarita in Philadelphia, do yourself a favor and stop here. Great drinks, delicious food, warm family hospitality, and an experience you'll remember long after the last sip. We'll definitely be back.

With outside seating, we decided to come in after seeing what looked and smelled like great food…read morecoming from Las Bugambilias. The menu was small with limited options for different dietary needs. When we saw chips and salsa weren't complimentary, we weren't impressed this continued when our waitress forgot part of our order. Food was just ok - somewhat flavorless. Prices seemed inconsistent ($5 for 4 plantains, almost $30 for fajitas). Overall, in a pinch and craving Mexican, this restaurant will work. Otherwise, find somewhere else.

It's been years and they still got it!…read more I order take out froM here at least once a week. My order is always right and the food travels well. Nothing soggy. Try the flan! It's the best I've had in all philly

Que Chula es Puebla was such a great find. They welcomed us in even though they were clearly still…read moregetting ready, which we really appreciated. Super warm and kind service right from the start. The breakfast hit the spot, especially since I hadn't had Mexican breakfast in forever. The tamales were good, the chilaquiles rojo was amazing (easily the star of the meal), and the pancita was a solid, flavorful and comforting. Overall, great food, welcoming vibe, and definitely a place I'd come back to.

There are a lot of Tex-Mex taco places all around Philly so what would make you want to try this…read moreone? Probably the sauces and salsas. The queso is very nice. The chipotle sauce is even better. It's got a tinge of spiciness. I like the fresh jalapenos that give even more kick. I got the Honey Chipotle Chiecken in my soft tacos. The flavor of the chicken was very good. The price of 3 tacos was not bad at $14.02. You might be wondering when I'll use the "excellent" or "great" superlatives, but I don't need to. If you want to compare this food to, say, Chipotle or Qdoba, you can, and some of you might think this is not much better than those two, but I will say that the additional ingredients that don't exist at Chipotle or Qdoba make this the superior product. The tacos are huge, just like some good Chipotle or Qdoba restaurants, but I think you'll like these better than the familiar places. There's a bit more zing in this food and, for that, it's worth the extra two or three dollars. The restaurant itself has chairs and tables. I can see myself eating there on occasion. The service is pretty quick and you can see all the ingredients, just like Chipotle and Qdoba. Drinks are the usual Jarritos and Mexican Coke. I will warn you when ordering that the tacos start at $9.99 and a protein (from fajita veggies to shrimp) is an additional charge of $1.99 to $3.99. You can have double protein for double the protein price (but a single serving is more than enough). Guacamole is an additional $1.25. It can get pretty pricey if you just say yes to everything. So, let me repeat... take note... if you just get fajita veggies, it's $1.99 more than the $9.99 base price. More fajita veggies? $1.99 more. Guac? $1.25 more. Now you're looking at $15.22 plus tax ($16.44) just for large veggie tacos. So... be careful when ordering!

Great zabiha halal option in center city. They have zabiha certifications on the wall and on the…read morewall art too which was refreshing to see. The honey chipotle chicken is incredible, it is moist and flavorful, great addition to the menu. I got a bowl and was disappointed at the portions. My friend in front of me was being served by someone else. The person serving me had also skipped over some items like the fajitas. Although I opted out of cheese and sour cream, my bowl was half filled.

Really reliable Mexican spot! The owner is always present and super attentive. I've gotten multiple…read moredishes from this place and I've finally gotten the chance to really sit down and review it! I like that they really lean into being a proud Mexican owned space in a way that doesn't feel gaudy. I love popping in here and grabbing a quick bite to eat!

Adelita is a Mexican taqueria just south of the Italian market. Behind its unassuming exterior lies…read morereasonably priced, delicious food options! -- I dined on a Friday evening and found little crowd and great service- the food came out very fast. I found the food options to be plentiful, but maybe not necessarily vegetarian friendly. The interior was clean and cozy and the decor was fun. You are also served a very small amount of complimentary chips and salsa. I ordered the chorizo nachos, bistec con nopales (steak with nopales cactus), and the chorizo burrito. I found all to be really delicious, with the steak as my favorite. The chorizo nachos was a large portion and three people split it comfortably. The dish was not greasy at all, which sometimes happens with nachos. The bistec was sliced very thinly but it wasn't tough at all. Everything-from the rice to the beans to the salsa- were cooked well and very flavorful! I really enjoyed wrapping the contents of the plate in the flour tortilla. I've never tried nopales and I found them to be wonderfully cooked, a little sour and juicy. However, they were very divisive! The chorizo burrito was cooked well but, personally I found it a little dry but well-complimented by the salsa from the chips. Overall, we had a great meal at Adelita. It's casual and no-frills. It's just serving up tasty, reasonably priced Mexican food options. I'd recommend trying the Bistec con Nopales and the nachos!