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    Tamalex Restaurant

    4.5 (196 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Honduran
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

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    TAMALEX RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Tamalex Restaurant

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    El Al Pastor (Marinated Pork) Carnitas (Pork)

    10/10 tacos and service. I got the el pastor tacos that were exactly like the ones I had in Mexico City. My boyfriend had the steak tacos and rated it 9/10. We both wished they had birria though. I would come back and highly recommend it.

    Pozole
    Giordanna M.

    Delicious! Pozole are weekends only and we made the trip down. As you can see we devoured it. It was really good, the best I've had outside of Mexico. The pambazo was great and I loved the papas con chorizo it had too! The tacos al pastor went best with the bright green salsa which we completely finished the ramikin.

    Pastel de Tres Leches
    Melanie T.

    Stopped by on a Friday night for a table of two and was seated quickly. We ordered the chorizo nachos to start which were so good! For entrees, we got the pambazo and steak enchiladas. Both were amazing, this was the first time we tried a pambazo and it was delicious! Portion sizes were huge and we ended up packing half of our entrees. Also ordered the horchata and tres leches. Definitely a great neighborhood gem

    Samira A.

    A small restaurant in south philly neighborhood with friendly service and filling portions. I've visited three times. First time I bought a burrito with chorizo to go and it was okay. It could've used more flavor, so I drizzled it with the red sauce included, and that was bland as well. I was thinking the food might taste better if I eat at the restaurant, since I waited a while to eat my burrito by the time I got home. The second time I tried a steak dish that wasn't currently on the menu. The plate was filled with food. The steak was tender, but everything was missing flavor, even the guacamole. It didn't taste like they added any lime or flavor at all. I don't even remember the avocado tasting nutty. I used both sauces included, and neither tasted like anything. The third time I got nachos. The tortilla chips are thick and crunchy. The cheese, tomato and gauc topping were all bland. Nothing I ate was very memorable. I wanted to love the food since they have so many great reviews, but for me, it's missing something.

    a plate of mexican food
    Angelina G.

    Hole in the wall gem in South Philadelphia! Small, family-owned spot that serves super authentic flavors. Definitely a place to try if you're in the area! ig: gaogirlsgrubbin

    Rula R.

    Delicious, authentic, affordable, and big portions!! Absolutely loved lunch here and I will dining at Tamalex a lot more. I've tried plenty of Mexican restaurants in the south Philly area and it's hard to pick a "favorite" since many of them are amazing, but Tamalex is top 3.

    Al Pastor / Marinated Pork
    El K.

    One word- Delicioso. There's nothing better than eating at an authentic Mexican joint. We went on a Tuesday night and the server was busy with phone orders. Even so, she acknowledged us and told us to grab a table. After ordering our food, the chips and sauces were served. Taste: robust flavor. I ordered Al pastor and they served it on a smaller corn tortillas. According to my friend that's the size they use in Mexico rather than the larger size i usually was served. - Their sauces were great. The red one wasn't too spicy and the green one gave a good balance. -I also ordered their "jelly salad". You have to get it from the fridge and it had an interesting taste to it. It's basically jello mixed with a thick sweet cream. I wasn't too keen on this, but had to try. Service: she was busy, so i will let it go. She was kind and catered to our needs. Price: Inexpensive. My al pastor was $9. Some places charge as much as $13. Overall, I will go back and order another Al Pastor bc they did not put pineapples on my tacos and Al Pastor is known to be mixed with pineapple. Also, my friend asked for a cup of water and it tasted...funny. So, you might want to get bottle drinks from the fridge.

    Interior of restaurant
    J G.

    Great, simple, flavorful! I judge a Mexican restaurant on their sauces and salsas. We had the chicken tacos and everything was great!!! We'll be back.

    Steak Burrito
    Jack M.

    Had a steak burrito. I think it was pretty good. The portion was generous. The steak could have been more seasoned. But this was a solid burrito.

    Hondurian Tamal $2
    Eduardo C.

    I was in the Italian Market area of Philadelphia and got a sudden craving of tamales. I Yelped a few places and found great reviews here. Definitely not disappointed! I was running low on time so I ordered a few. The person who tended to me explained that their menu is a mix of Hondurian and Mexican cuisine, but they only had Hondurian tamales. I wasn't familiar with them, and he explained the difference. I decided to give them a shot and placed a take out order. Once I got home, I opened them up and they were still warm (tamales were very well wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil and a takeout box). I opened one up and saw it was very soft (not good, not bad, I thought. It was very flavorful and soft. Sometimes tamales turn out too dry, but this one was the opposite. There was a very generous portion of chicken inside too! Very satisfied! I would like to revisit and eat there next time! As I walked in and out of the establishment I saw soups, steak, and tacos that all looked delicious (and again, generous portions).

    Drinks and Ensalada de Gelatina / Jelly Salad
    Che D.

    If you are looking for authentic Mexican food you've found the right place! Tamalex has a variety of options on the menu so it won't be hard to find something you'll like. I ordered a shrimp quesadilla and it tasted nothing like what I'm used to. The cheese was thick white cheese but it was absolutely delicious and instead of the normal flour tortilla, they used a corn tortilla but it wasn't a grainy corn tortilla and they weren't stingy with the shrimp either. The quesadilla was loaded! I also ordered nachos and a shrimp burrito. Again then we're very generous with their meat! I also ordered a horchata and it was absolutely delicious. I see why this place was packed on a Sunday afternoon. Come here for a real taste of Mexico.

    Pozole

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    1 year ago

    Very good Mexican food served by a friendly staff. Nice ambiance and very clean. That is all I can think of.

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    3 years ago

    So good, the chicharron is out of this world. Definitely will be ordering again. SUPER fresh

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    3 years ago

    Some of the best papusa in the area! Always hit the spot, and great hrs since they are open til 11.

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    Cantina La Martina - Carnitas de pato

    Cantina La Martina

    4.4(112 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    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!

    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.

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    Cantina La Martina - Inside of the restaurant

    Inside of the restaurant

    Cantina La Martina - Ceviche De Coco

    Ceviche De Coco

    Cantina La Martina - Chamorro

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    Chamorro

    El Rey

    El Rey

    3.6(1.1k reviews)
    1.6 miRittenhouse Square, Penn Center
    $$

    Honestly El Rey is great!…read more As a Los Angeles native, Mexican food is always a "not as good as California" affair, and with that bar, it's hard to find anything that holds a candle. But El Rey is good in its own right, taking familiar foods and flavors, with a bit of a fancier twist, and making a good meal that I love to eat and enjoy! Seating and service here is friendly and prompt. Even when it's pretty loud and seems packed, there are always a handful of open tables available, where we've usually been able to be seated almost immediately. Such was the case this evening. We were on a bit of a time crunch so we ordered immediately and our food came out so fast that the waiter for our table was surprised as the food beat him with our napkins to the table. We ordered the Tuna Tostada and the Yucatan Spiced Chicken Fajitas. Both were amazing! Good thing for our tight timeline, the food was gone as fast as it came. The waiter helpfully recommend the house hot sauce, which was certainly spicy and a good compliment on our fajitas. Overall, a great place to dine for Mexican-inspired! Laying aside my California bias, El Rey is a fun time every time we come.

    Valentine's Day magic at El Rey? Say less. The steak tacos…read morechanged my life -- and I stand by that. I hadn't been to El Rey in years, but we scored last-minute Valentine's reservations and WOW. The vibe was lively, warm, and perfect for a fun night out. - Let's talk about these STEAK TACOS . Perfectly seasoned, tender, flavorful -- the kind of bite that makes you close your eyes for a second. They were so good I came back two days later just for them. That's not a craving... that's infatuation. - The Chayote Salad completely surprised me. Fresh, bright, and paired with their homemade hot sauce? My palate was awakened. I even brought it home (with dressing and hot sauce on the side) and it still hit! Speaking of heat -- if you love spicy food, ASK for their homemade hot sauce. It's bold, fiery, and addictive. I genuinely want a bottle for home. Service? 10/10. From the manager to the hosts to the bartender -- everyone was kind, attentive, and patient. They even remembered me from Valentine's Day, which says everything about how they treat their guests. Bathroom Check: Clean? Yes. Cute ambiance? Yes. Great mirror for photos? Absolutely. And again -- CLEAN. El Rey, I'll be back soon

    Photos
    El Rey
    El Rey
    El Rey

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    Cantina Dos Segundos - Chopped salad with chicken

    Cantina Dos Segundos

    3.8(980 reviews)
    2.3 miNorthern Liberties
    $$

    As a native Californian, I was missing good Mexican food and saw this place was walking distance…read morefrom my front door. I headed over and was greeted warmly by the hostess/waitress Gemma. There were booths, tables and bar seating available with Wonder Years playing on a few TVs with warm lighting and the incandescent Christmas lights that are reminiscent of Grandma's house (bonus points for nostalgia!) I requested a booth and she promptly sat me. She brought me water, menus and explained the specials to me. As I perused the menu, I was overwhelmed with the options available to me. I ultimately landed on one of the dinner specials (Cabernet braised brisket with a side of carrots & buttery mashed potatoes), chips & salsa and a Paloma. Chips landed first and while both salsas were fresh, I still felt the need to add salt. (Everyone's palate is different) Food & drink arrived simultaneously. Paloma was made strong but tasted more like a classic margarita as opposed to the tang of grapefruit that comes with a Paloma. Still good! The food was essentially cold & looked like it had been sitting for awhile being served to me but all the flavors were there. The brisket fell apart, I didn't even need a knife to cut it. The carrots were tender and the mashed potatoes were buttery. I would 1000% go back for the drinks and service, however I may get something different on the menu.

    Stopped here during a street festival and was able to snag seating outside. We started off with a…read moretuna tower (unfortunately cannot find this on the menu, so maybe it was a special). The portion was small for the price. We also got tacos and the meat was not juicy, but still flavorful

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    Cantina Dos Segundos - Great tequila selection!

    Great tequila selection!

    Cantina Dos Segundos - GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

    GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

    Cantina Dos Segundos - Margaritas and tequila shots

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    Margaritas and tequila shots

    Tamalex Restaurant - mexican - Updated May 2026

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