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.

Best tacos I've had on the east coast. They chop the barbacoa right on to your taco in front of…read moreyou. The bar has a fantastic variety of tangy, spicy, bright toppings and salsas to make your taco your own. My favorite is always the reddish orange salsa and this one tastes just like the taco places back in Texas. The tacos are hefty, so that makes up for the slightly higher than average price. They didn't have jamaica when I went so they subbed in mango juice and it was incredible, my new go-to. Service is friendly, fast and there's plenty of seating and a nice outdoor space.

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.

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.

The tacos were juicy, crispy, and because I ate them there, pipping hot. They were filled with…read moreplenty of beef and perfectly melted cheese. The Consomé broth wasn't as thick as I had been expecting, but it was good. I'm glad I made the long journey there. Mission accomplished.

First visit back to El Vez in over a dozen years and I am happy to say it is still a great place…read morefor dinner. The decor is eclectic and vibrant even though it looked largely as I remembered it. There is a large, round bar in the center of the dining room with friendly and efficient bar staff. If you like tequila and margaritas, this is the place for you. They also have some Mexican and local beers on tap. The menu offers a variety of creative tacos, nachos, and enchiladas. The guacamole is also excellent, even though they stopped making it table side many years ago. Service was very good. I also thought the total bill was pretty reasonable for a center city restaurant.

El Vez was SUCH a vibe! The margarita was delicious, the chicken tacos hit the spot, and the…read morechicken nachos were absolute fire, served on large plate so every chip had perfect ratio of toppings. But the creamy poblano corn rice?! EPIC. Seriously, I could have eaten an entire bowl of that by itself. Fun atmosphere, great food, strong margaritas, and the vibes were HIGH. They do take reservations and we were seated quickly. Exactly the kind of spot you want to stumble into in Philly, and in a cool neighborhood with lots of walkable spots nearby. Would absolutely go 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 can't believe I am giving Cantina La Martina a ONE star review! I couldn't even muster a 2 given…read morewhat they gave me to eat tonight. I ordered the carnitas tacos and churros. The meat in the tacos was so dry that it was hard to chew and swallow. Some of the pieces were cooked to a crisp. No amount of salsa could make them better. I'm sorry I didn't take photos of the tacos, but trust me me I get no pleasure from leaving a bad review for this place; I am not lying or exaggerating. I thought they were going to be one of our local gems. I choked down a half a taco, gave the rest to my husband and he couldn't eat them either. The churros actually had raw batter in the middle and the outside was rubbery and hard at the same time. You could barely bite through it. I'm a cook and I know that that is about keeping the oil at an even temperature to get the inside done and not overcook the outside. Someone in the kitchen did not know what they were doing. The thing is, I have had their food before and it was pretty good. I don't know if there is a new chef or what happened, but I can't trust them after this experience.

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!