El Azteca Reviews

First the positives; The restaurant was clean. Parking was free. Service was good. Food was fresh but poorly made. Everything was mediocre. Margaritas were a mix. Overly sweet and very weak. Chips were warm, but served with a weird soupy watered-down salsa. Guac was awful with a super smooth texture like a dip. Flavor was off-lacking cilantro and lime. Quesadilla was chicken and cheese, no garnishes or toppings. Nachos were not traditional. No black beans or jalapeños. Remaining fillings weren’t distributed and layered-each one was placed in a separate area on the plate and then covered with cheese. Very disappointing experience. Don’t waste your time or money.

I've gone to this place like four times and enjoyed it. My most recent time was my best though. I got the carinitas sooooo good. I'm a picky meat eater but was told it was amazing. It wassss I ate the funny parts of meat I never touch. It was all so yummy. I hate beans, yet I devoured them. The margarona I drank with it was amazing. It was peach flavored and just the right touch of tequila. Very nice authentic mexican food. They aren't open on Sundays sadly but you can eat there every other day of the week. Fyi the ladies bathroom is not ideal. Its just two toilets sitting next to each other with no wall. Fortunately there's a lock so there won't be any awkward moments.

BYOT! Authentic and cheap!

This is the place to go if you want some real Mexican food! Best Mexican food around the area. The white cheese sauce is to die for... Seriously I put it on everything!!

I really love Mexican food, and this restaurant does not disappoint. Not much on ambiance, but that's not why you go here! I have the chicken nachos, and they are to die for! Simple and plain good food, don't go expecting small plates and fussy presentation.

On first entry I have to admit it looked a little cheesy; an attempt to look like a cantina with too much light and not enough people. But the menu is large and service is quick. I have a penchant for hot foods, and once I asked they brought out the chilli sauce they give to the mexicans - WOW! Not hot hot, but smoky and with just enough heat to compliment the food.The food was pretty good, but there was plenty of it. Good selection of beers and tequilas. Recommended!

I had lunch here and only ordered soup. It was a big bowl and quite filling so that is all I had here. The soup was good. Service was average. Located near several business office buildings.

I went to El Azteca for lunch with a friend and loved it. The service was very good. A big variety of foods on the lunch menu and most of them were under $10. The portions were big and food was very good. I can't wait to go back.

We eat here a couple times a month. Its a good place for a group of coworkers. They can seat a group without a reservation. Prices are good. Staff is good and always willing to help you with your Spanish if you like. Chips and salsa served quickly and are free.

I've like this place for a few years. The servings are certainly ample and the food is pretty diverse and authentic. Service is good and atmosphere at the Philly location is pretty nice (little nicer than Mt Laurel NJ one). Prices are reasonable, but of course it's mostly street parking. It's good for friend get together soon and family as well.

Authentic Mexican BYO! Very good!

Stumbled upon this gem looking for a place to grab a bite after a doctor appointment in the area. Service was prompt and friendly. Food was brought out quickly and was delicious. Decor was beautiful. Prices were reasonable, especially for the area.

amazing food.. great service, mexican food, made and served by mexicans ( i think ) and huge portions.. meal for 2 less than 20 US, and its much better than any where else in terms of taste and flavours

I stopped in for takeout and got a salad. The takeout order came out in about 15 minutes. While I waited, I was able to take in the decor, which was very well thought out and impressive. The paintings and benches were very detailed. Glad I stopped in.

Great lunch specials. Quick and friendly service without being rushed. Delicious food and drink. A must do if in the area.

This is a great place for Mexican food. We were seated and waited a while before getting served but the food made up for the slow service. They serve chips and salsa no charge to start. We got Burritos and Chimicangas and the portions are more than sufficient to fill you up. If you want some good Mexican while in Philadelphia this is a good choice.

I was seated immediately and food came out so quickly. The server was very friendly and even cracked a few jokes. The portions of my meal was so large that I couldnt finish it all! Well worth it!

One of my favs for the past 4 or so years...fun place to go w/ a group of friends--authentic and casual amosphere, chicken is slightly better than beef in my opinion

Cheap, good, mexican.

El Azteca is a little jewel of a Mexican Restaurant in Center City Philadelphia. If you are looking for a casual, fun place to go, then this is the place. If you want awesome margaritas, just bring your favorite tequila. There are lime, peach and strawberry flavors to choose from. It's BYOB, and if you bring beer or wine, they will put it on ice for you. The food is authentic, delicious and portions are plentiful. The menu is quite extensive, and offers favorites such as fajitas, carnitas, enchiladas, fish tacos, & carne asada. There is a vegetarian menu and children's menu as well. If you're celebrating a birthday, you can get a fried ice cream with a sparkler and a big colorful sombrero to take home with you. This is the place to go for a great time. Large parties can be accommodated so take all your friends, grab your tequila and have a fiesta grande!

Just like the Mexican Post but it's a BYOB.

I have been coming to this restaurant for over 10 years. The food is a piece of heaven. Authentic Mexican cuisine and the portions are huge. The margaritas are to die for.

I really like coming here. The food is well priced, and definitely well portioned, but the staff just makes it so much better. They speak Spanish if you'd like to practice, and their English is great! Fun place, great for lunch.

One word- Wow. Stopped here for my last day of being able to go out for lunch during jury duty. My daughter has been telling me about it for a while, and I finally got a chance to stop in. YUM. The staff is very friendly, the ambiance is great, very colorful and beautiful. The chips and salsa- fantastic. The chips were warm and crispy. I ordered the arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) one of my favorite dishes, and it was great here. The onions where grilled and sweet and the chicken was tasty and tender. There was a yummy cheese sauce on top, not smothered, but on top. My server was attentive and quick which was great. Very reasonably priced- it was only $8 something for lunch, can't beat that. It was very very good, and I can't wait to go back. You wouldn't think the place is anything special by looking at the sign from outside. Do not be fooled- go in- it is very quaint, and very good! You will not be sorry!!!

On the way to the airport we stopped to have lunch here. We had previously stopped here and we planned for our return visit. My wife and son each had the 5 for $10. My daughter had I believe the pork burrito. I had the combo chicken and steak fajitas. We enjoyed our meals and the excellent service. We were very happy to have made it back here. Give it a try... you might like it.

Had a late lunch, only two people besides us made us a little hesitant. The food was amazing and the portion size was huge.. Loved it!!!

Great for a quick lunch and happy hour with some good house margaritas. Chips and salsa are free and definitely should try the cheese/quac dip

This restaurant is located on Chestnut Street not too far from Reading Market in Philadelphia. I found this restaurant to be quite pleasant to visit. The place was clean and nicely decorated. The food was great! They served chips and salsa to begin and offered a lot of choices for Mexican fare. Very reasonably priced! I will return to this restaurant next time I am in Philly.

Very nice decor. Good food. Wait staff very polite and professional very friendly. Close to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Stumbled on this place- it was busy at lunch. Huge portions, definitely fresh and flavorful. Enjoyed our meals. We will be back.

I'm from the US, my partner from Mexico. I genuinely think Taco Bell has better food. The margaritas are pure sugar (like you'd expect on an all inclusive cruise ship), the food is packed full of bland fatty ground beef, tons of melted cheese to hide the lack of flavor, and stale rice. It's really sad, because the place has a lot of character and the staff are friendly, but the good is just unacceptable. A regular dinner plate is about $16 and should cost about $4.95. Any taco truck in Philly is hands down better. Avoid this place.

Below average. I get better Mexican in Ottawa. This place didn't serve booz. Large portions but it lacked flavour. The rice was mushy and the entres were not the greatest. A bit dissapointed in the Philadelphia fare.

As Mexican restaurants go, this is as close to authentic as you're likely to find in downtown Philadelphia. My go to lunch is the burro de casa (chicken). Everything is so fresh tasting. My backup is the fajitas which I'd get more often but I feel guilty because I can't eat it all and hate wasting food! Great margaritas too. Add in a friendly staff, most of whom have been there for many years, and you can't go wrong. Oh, and it's very reasonably priced.

Happened to be hungry in the area and stopped into El Azteca by chance. We were greeted promptly with free chips and salsa. This restaurant is very loud, but it seemed that everyone was having a really good time. You can bring your own Tequila, but there is a $5 corking fee. Both the cheese and crab enchiladas were so delicious. The guacamole was so fresh that you can taste the avocados and seasoning. The portions were very large (no need to get appetizers) and I left feeling very satisfied.

BYO, great authentic mexican, but do not try to stay late. they kick you out!

Authentic Mexican food. Close to the Liberty bell. Service was very good, food was served hot. Very favorable fajita steak. Chips and salsa good as well. Prices are low quality is high.

Our party of four was very pleased with its meals. The two women each had an appetizer and a portion of rice and where full. Two orders of fajitas(one shrimp, one combination) proved to provide so much food only one of us could finish, the other person took some home. Pleasantly surprised by the number of shrimp in the shrimp dish as well as in the combo platter. An extra bonus is the attractive setting with the bright booths, see pictures

I had an early dinner with my brother at El Azteca II on January 20. My father was in Jefferson Hosital and this was within close walking distance. I had chicken tacos, my brother had an enchilada platter. Service was good. Nacho chips and salsa were fresh. Menu was fairly standard fair for Mexican restaurants, but food was above average. Cost was very reasonable as well. Atmosphere was pretty standard as well. One down side (depending upon your point of view) was no alcohol license. If you want legal beverages with your food, be sure to bring your own bottle. It appeared that they had mixes available for various Mexican drinks. I would eat there again.

This was one of my favorite restuarants in the city until I was there last night and they charged me $5.50 for a side of guacamole! I was in the middle of my entree and said could I have a side of guacamole- which they brought back adn it was a generous portion. When we got the bill and saw how much it was I explained i had just wanted a side of guacamole. They explained there was only one size and there was nothing that they could do abotu it. Its a shame b/c the food has always been great. In addition, I threw up from the food last night as well. My advice,,,head over to another mexican place like Lolita or Las Cazuelas.

There was six of us, ,we had a large table. Good service from our waiter,he got our drink orders,then our food orders.Busy place.Food came fast.

We went there after a morning walk around historic sites of Philly. The restaurant looks small and not inviting from street, but inside you get really good service, authentic mexican food for good prices. We really liked original mexican limonades. I definitely recommend going there.

Happened by on a Friday evening, and my husband suggested giving it a try. Were we happy we did! We had taquitos and chicken with mole. Everything was delicious! So much better than the Tex-Mex in San Antonio. Great service too. Highly recommended!

I work in Center City and have many choices for lunch but we always end up at El Azteca. I have never had a bad meal and the service is good and the prices very reasonable.

Very authentic, amazing tortillas. Really enjoyed the chile rellenos. Excellent refried beans. Fast service. Good kids menu.

I can't say enough about the food. Best homemade Mexican food and the Margaritas are a killer. Price is decent and you get a lot worth for your money.

My co-workers and I stopped in for a quick lunch and while the service was quick the food was not up to par. The beans and rice were very bland and I poured the salsa from the chips into the beans to give them at least some spice. I enjoyed the chicken in the quesadila which had some chipotle flavor but overall I was dissapointed. The others in my party felt the same way and we will not return.

Great variety in the menu. Our meals were delicious and came with our requested variations. The meals were large and the service was friendly and quick. The crab tacos were the best meal of the night. The restaurant was clean with funky decor.

so cheap

Food was average. Service poor. We seated ourselves no one at door. We got our own menus as none provided. No water refills until requested. No chips and salsa until requested. Requested our check. Terrible lacking service. Skip it.

burritos were far too salty; service was mediocre.

We were looking for something familiar and good. Mexican was it. The place is cute and colorful. The staff were all friendly and attentive. Three of us ordered something different but everything was good. I had a margarita, ah maybe two. It was, very good. I recommend this restaurant!

amazing soup

Consistently good food at very reasonable price. Friendly servers, quick service. Casa de burro with chicken is a favorite.

Two of us ate lunch, and both of us had tasteless food. How can you go wrong with two hard tacos? Well, the meat had no taste - unbelievable. BUT, my friend had a chile rellano (sp?) which he described as almost freezer burned. He later used the word rancid - worst Mexican cuisine we have ever had. Service was fine - and we did not send our dishes back as there was only Mexican food to order. Nasty!

This small restaurant serves an extensive selection of dishes, including vegetarian choices. Any lover of Mexican cuisine will find plenty to enjoy here! The portions are gigantic too. The drinks are well made and the beer selection pleased our party. Our family celebrated a birthday here on a recent Monday evening. The service was attentive and everyone agreed that we will definitely return for another meal in the near future.

Great authentic restaurant, fresh and very tasty food. Try the shrimp taco. You won’t regret it. It’s on Frankford ave. Don’t miss it!!!

My family and I had dinner at the restaurant which is a couple minute walk from Independence Hall. The food was Excellent, and the service was very good. The price was reasonable for a city such as Philadelphia. We will return for lunch/dinner in the future.

I have never liked Mount Laurel, NJ location of El Azteca, so much so, that I hadn't frequented their restaurant in over 10 years and was hesitant to try this one in the city. But after being coaxed by a co-worker, I caved. Especially since the lunch menu was extensive, and decently priced. We were seated right away, and I liked how cute the decor was. We were greeted immediately by a waiter, were served our drinks, chips, and salsa, but then our server took a while to come back and take our order. They seemed a bit busy and short staffed. Regardless, I was happy to be able to order a delicious, fresh, cold horchata, and my chicken mole lunch special (#9) was amazing! My coworker loved her vegetarian lunch platter, as well. I'm glad I decided to give this place another chance, and because it is so close to my work, will definitely be back!

One of the best authentic Mexican food I've ever had. They had standard Mexican American good but also some real authentic Mexican. I highly recommended going there and will go again next time in in the city.

For a fast, good and inexpensive, the locals suggested El Azteca and they were right. I had the El Azteca which was a bean burrito, cheese quesadilla and rice. Large serving and delicious and at $8.00, served fast, it couldn't be beat! Highly recommend.

This restaurant is located in Center City and a few blocks from my office. I think I visited many years ago, but didn't recall anything specifically about food, service, etc. Well, this visit made up for my absentee mind. I went for lunch with a friend and the first thing I noticed was the awesome lunch menu and most of them were under $10. We decided to to get (2) dishes and share them, the portions were large and the food was ok. The staff were attentive, service was prompt and I think I will be back for many more lunches.

Worst mexican food Ive ever had!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a very promising looking place from the outside but well worth going in. We were given a table as soon as we walked in and from then on the service was excellent. Very comprehensive menu with authentic Mexican dishes, and overall very good value for money. Will definitely visit again and can highly recommend.

Came here for lunch before we saw a show. Lunch menu is affordable and has a nice selection. I had the shrimp. They were a good size. We’ll be back.