El Rey Reviews

I've been here before, it's a kitschy throwback diner that is very popular with the University students and locals. Food is good, happy hour prices are great. No parking and not really wheelchair accessible. Staff is always young, fun, cute, and efficient. This visit I have to say the server was as always pleasant and extremely efficient and busy busy busy. While he was working his butt off three (3) "Mgmt" were standing there talking and offering no assistance. Felt bad for the guy. After two of the three wondered off the remaining guy did pitch in and help.

I loved this place! This is one of the greatest Mexican food restaurants I've been in the USA. They serve genuine mexican food, the service is great and the kitschy atmosphere is very cozy. Great happy hours specials!

The restaurant has a Mexican ambient with good service and good Mexican food for fair prices. Don't recommend it if you are a Mexican food conoceur, but it will be ok if you have the crave for this kind of food.

Food was very tasty although the service at lunch was very slow. I ordered from the two course fast menu and has to wait for over 40 minutes to get a black bean enchilada plate. The salad arrived quickly. I also had to ask repeatedly for the free chips and salsa. Despite the service i will return as the menu has a good variety of Mexican inspired dishes with interesting ingredients. Didn't drink at lunch and the seem to gave a good selection of beer wine and tequila

Was really looking forward to eating at El Rey again. Had tried the restaurant months ago after going to a play. Really enjoyed the food, even though service was slow. Decided to go again for the fundido. Restaurant was almost empty, only three other tables had customers. We went through the menus and decided what to eat and even watched a cat video on my husband's phone. No waiter/waitress. I did however notice our waiter from the last time fixing his hair in the mirror, then go over to the other servers who were at a table lighting candles and help them out and stand there and talk. So after 10 minutes, I finally had enough waiting for at least someone to acknowledge us. So as we got up to leave and hand the hostess back the menus, the waiter finally decided to mosey up to our table. Too late. What ashame. Hope he/they treat their other customers better.

Their margarita during happy hour is good. I only liked their steak tacos best. You’ll get charged to have a tiny plate of salsa verde, where you could buy a whole jar for the price they charge you.

We went to dinner with some friends. The atmosphere was nice. Allowed for conversation, room temperature was also nice. Good food, nice waitresses. Recommended!

I use to eat at this restaurant when it was a diner. Walking by I noticed the new sign. I decided to try. We had the Duck Burrito and Chicken Quesadilla. Food was ok. Service was good.

Have you ever seen a Mexican restaurant without a combo plate? Or an enchilada or taco plate that didn't come with rice and beans? That's El Rey. Rice $4, beans $4 and this is for single sides, not family size. The food was mediocre, the pitcher of margaritas was mostly filled with ice and cost $30. All done, for 4 people we spent $190 and left hungry. Not recommended.

One of the best black beans I ever had and excellent guacamole. Nicely decorated inside with mexican stuff and old mexican movie poster.

Wonderful choice for Mexican food! Sidewalk seating was enjoyable on a nice fall day! Staff was very welcoming and accommodating! Just a reminder: Due to COVID only tables for 4. We were a family of 5 adults and 2 children so we had to sit at 2 tables. Food was excellent! Best Margheritta I’ve ever had! Guacamole amazing! The paella was very tasty!

Nachos were superb! Our group loved the habanero margaritas and the sangria. Regular margaritas were also delicious. Had a really fun time in a very cool atmosphere. Highly recommend.

This place is full of character. It's not for those looking for cheap and cheerful Mexican. There's a charge for chips and salsa. There are no rice and beans together (you have to order two sides $$). Still, the guacamole was tasty and the Chihuahua cheese was delish. Skip the quesadillas -- they were more like tacos. And the chilaquilies were an insult to the original with rubbery chicken. I had heard it's good for happy hour, not meals and I can see the truth in this.

We were looking for a restaurant close to our hotel and stumbled upon El Rey. The menu has just enough and offered vegetarian options which was perfect for one member of our party. The food is fresh and well prepared. The prices were right and the interior is fun and eclectic. Side note...order the guacamole and chips, you won’t be sorry.

Our waitress recommended these to my friend and I (it's a dish one must share). She was right. Do it. It's a build your own taco or whatever. The duck was really well done and the additional toppings were all really tasty. The dish came with sauces to spread on the tortilla but honestly this would detract from the duck. No need. One draw back. Four (or was it six?) small tortillas is a. not enough for a hungry person b. not enough for the amount of food served. Maybe provide more. I cannot imagine those tortillas are super costly. I didn't try anything else, but my friends all seemed super satisfied with what they got. I wish I had had more time to go back and sample some other plates. They seemed to have the recipes down. No complimentary chips and salsa? Really? Frozen margaritas were tasty enough. But nothing special. The pitcher deal seemed fair enough. We got five glasses out of it. The environment was only ok. It's a bit too dark and super loud. I was hoarse the next day. The service was acceptable. We ordered chips and salsa and they came basically with the food. Really? Our waitress seemed generally overwhelmed. But it was a Wednesday. I can't imagine what happens on the weekend!

Met friends here for New Year's Eve Dinner and was pleasantly surprised! It has a funky decor, not too cramped space and average service. The guacamole portion was very generous, the Short Rib Enchiladas & the Side of Corn with Habanero Butter were Amazing!! Our friends devoured the Nachos & Brisket Tacos. Tortilla Soup and Chayote Salad were ok - I wouldn't order them again.

Food was delicious. One of the best guacamole I've ever had. We then followed dinner with drinks at Ranstead Room which is attached. Fun Speakeasy spot. Must check out!

I ate here with a colleague last Saturday night. At 8:15, there was a 40-minute wait, but the hostess was nice enough to put me on the list and tell me that I wouldn't lose my place in line if I came back after my name was called. So we left and came back and were seated within about 15 minutes. The place isn't big, and it is VERY loud. Ear-ringing loud after an hour plus. The margarita was pretty good. Our server failed to remember that we ordered chips and guacamole; she didn't remember later, either, so she couldn't apologize, and it didn't appear on our bill. My chicken enchiladas were a bit of a disappointment (on the dry side, not terribly flavorful, and needing more sauce for my taste) but the rice and beans (extra, a la carte) were good. Next time I'm in town, I'll find somewhere else to eat.

I was last in this restaurant when it was a quick lunch diner style place. The décor hasn't changed much except for the Mexican posters on the walls. Even though the place was half empty on a very miserable and stormy night the noise level was very high. The food was a decidedly mixed bag. The mushroom soup was wonderful with huge chunks of tasty mushrooms in a flavorful broth. My lamb burrito was disappointing. The lamb was too salty and not very flavorful. My wife had fish tacos which were very small and came with no sides. My Margarita was tasty but small.

What a nice surprise! High quality food. Coming from Italy I don’t know Mexican cuisine well, but I know good flavors. The sauce of the dish I took was delicious, as well as the fajitas and the burrito .. Fantastic staff! I would often come back if there wasn't an ocean in the middle...

This place is in downtown Philly, and it serves very good Mexican food at a reasonable price. We came here for lunch on MLK Day. It's not much to look at on the outside, but the inside has all kinds of vintage posters and pinatas, and it's kind of dim as opposed to screamingly loud like many Mexican joints. There is a $10 lunch special that includes nachos and excellent salsa, a soup or salad and an entree. I got butternut squash soup, which was pretty good, and huevos rancheros, which was good. My wife ordered mushroom soup and chicken tostadas, which were excellent, and my son got the best order, brisket tacos. The service was great, the green salsa superior, and the bill was just over $40 (with one drink, my wife and i had water). All in all, a very pleasant and tasty lunch.

Came in for brunch after visiting the Mütter Museum and frankly can't understand why the place was so empty. Great brunch menuanda long list of brunch cocktails, coupled with a great vibe and location really should have this place packed on the weekend.we had the breakfast burrito, three tortas and bloody Maria. First the burrito: it was ok, but not great. Too much rice for my tastes and not enough sauce. Get a side of habanero hot sauce or salsa to punch it up a bit.the tortas, otoh,were fabulous. The chicken was absolutely delicious and the pork belly was fatty and flavorful.very pleased. As for the bloody Maria, it had a subtle sweetness that tasted like they put just a little orange juice into the mix with the tomato and lime. It was a good counterbalance to the spicy/salty rim. Overally very pleased. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

I am glad I found this gem near my work. I had lunch there with my coworkers and it was excellent. They have Express lunch on their menu and they mean it. We ordered our lunch specials from Express menu and it came in no time. I had mushroom soup and chicken quesadilla and both were excellent. Perfect size portions. The restaurant looked clean and the waitresses were very friendly. Highly recommend.

All we wanted was nachos and a cold beer. We checked out multiple window menus and decided on to wander in to The Continental to see if they might have them on the bar menu - alas, it was more of an Asian fusion style menu. We sort of whined to the server and he told us that one of the restaurants under their umbrella was just two blocks further so we went for it. What a surprise. The vibe is kind of hipster retro. Super nice staff, great prices and margaritas by the pitcher. We went for a plate of street tacos and an order of nachos to share. I'd say I'm a pretty good critic of nachos - experienced to say the least. Well these were like none I've had at a restaurant. We went back two nights later with about 10 others who all loved their food and especially the margarita pitchers that kept coming (and good ones - not the pre-mixed sweet and sour crap). Five stars for cool venue, excellent food and great prices. Next time in Downtown Philly, I will be back!

Duck tacos. If you don't like the duck tacos, you don't have a soul. We also shared the short rib enchiladas and the warm corn with the habanero butter. All of which were really well done and delicious, but the duck tacos were on another level. This place is definitely not your typical margarita-burrito-taco place. The proprietors here have a fresh, not always strictly Mexican take on their food. Prices aren't completely prohibitive, but it's not Taco Bell either. In fact, if you were looking for Taco Bell, I hope you already stopped reading. You're going to get fresh, delicious, dishes that contain such complexity of flavor in their simplicity. I doubt we could have had better food at any of the exorbitantly expensive suit-and-tie restaurants within the same two blocks. Service was great. Lovely and friendly staff. Yes, it can (and did) get really loud. The food trumps the volume. Go. Eat here and be elevated.

I'm surprised the reviews are not better, as my boyfriend and I really enjoyed this restaurant. The margaritas were some of the best I ever had. They had a couple of vegetarian options and the waitress was very friendly. I enjoyed the darker lighting and atmosphere.

Food was a little odd, drinks pricey too The steak meal was good value and guacamole was nice but the chicken taco small and the meat was dry

We came here out of a craving for nachos and one reviewer saying they were the best nachos he had ever had. We were a little skeptical upon our arrival but once inside the atmosphere was much better. Unfortunately, the food was just ok. We started with the guacamole which was very good so we had high hopes. Then moved onto the nachos which were decent (we got them without chorizo) but not nearly the best I’ve had. Then, things went downhill from there. My daughter got a pork enchilada that she hardly touched and my son got chicken and cheese quesadilla on corn tortillas. I thought the chicken tasted funny but he ate 1/2 if it without complaints. I got a burrito without the wrap, turning it into a bowl (which they don’t offer but were very accommodating). I wish I could say I enjoyed it. My husband got the fish tacos which was the best out of all of ours. The dishes were plentiful in size however just not that appetizing. Unfortunately if back in the area we would try somewhere else for lunch and not return.

Me and my husband went this evening for dinner. The paella was delicious and I learned I am not a fan of mezcal. It was a very lively place which was nice but it was a bit noisy. All in all would definitely go again next time we are in town.

Not Mexican. The staff are rude and unhelpful. The menu is sad. The food is borderline. Very strange place. It's like an old pub that has tried to become a Mexican place but it's a big fail.

We went for happy hour and will go back for dinner.Good service and good food.Oh, and very good margaritas :) !!!

A great place to spend happy hour. Special pricing on drinks and food. A fun, young (students/professionals) crowd. Ideal for meeting friends after work or a casual date.

Delicious. That is all :). Really though, this was Mexican like I have not had it before. I had the Zucchini Blossom and Corn Quesadilla. My sister and I stopped here for dinner before going over to the Ranstead Room for drinks. I highly recommend both.

The Wild Mushroom Soup consisted of mushrooms in a broth that managed to be both spicy and tasteless. A generous bowl for the money, but I didn't even finish it. Worse yet was the Campechana Ceviche - what fish there was was awash in what tasted like a thick very sweet sugared ketchup. Again, didn't even finish it.

We came in with intentions of dinner but stuck with the happy hour menu. Started with the guacamole and chips, delicious! Between the group we pretty much tried all of the tacos. Chicken was my favorite. I also had a tostada. It was very flavorful. Blood orange margarita was a hit. Service was attentive and friendly.

I had the best tasting cheese enchiladas with verde sauce - ever! And the side of guacamole was the best ever! I thought I had great Mexican food in the past - but I am totally spoiled by El Rey’s food! I have to drive an hour and a half to get to Philadelphia for this great food!

Went with large business group that made arrangements for a prie fixe menu of, no lie, pretty much everything on the menu. Holy cow. Sooooo much food and all of it excellent. Guacamole was great, the queso fundido was hands down amazing, chicken nachos were good, short rib enchiladas were good, shrimp vera cruz was yummy and you must save room for the chocolate cake because it had spice in it that sneaks up on you. Crazy loud so don't plan on having a conversation and the drunk people all around you are sort of hard to ignore but the food was really, really good.

We were on a quest for hidden bars in Philly. I'll leave it hidden, and you can look for it......Our intentions were to come here and get on the list for the bar afterwards, but we were in heaven. We were pleasantly surprised at our good fortune that El Rey's drinks and food were an added bonus! As we waited for our table, we imbibed on a couple of different margaritas. My first one used some lavender, I believe, in it and was wonderful. My eyes were entertained by the decor and lights, while we sipped our cocktails. Once we got to our table, we were put on "the list" for the hidden bar that would be waiting for us after we ate. In the meantime, we had the queso, guacamole, ceviches, and a couple of their tacos. The food was so great, it was hard to NOT come back here the next night. The wait staff was friendly and helpful, as well. Our next treat was our trip through the kitchen and back stairway to the Ranstead Room. Try these both out! You won't be disappointed.

Really great value and pretty tasty Mexican. We had the huge and delicious Chayote salad to start which had a tasty lime dressing. I had the lamb burrito which I thought was pretty good- maybe 3.5 stars. It could use a little more lamb flavor- it could have been beef. Still, it was packed with tasty pickled vegetables which is a lot better for me than cheese and rice and came with some delicious guacamole. My girlfriend had the chicken enchiladas which she said were delicious and very authentic. We arrive Monday at 645 and had to wait 5 minutes but actually it seems like a good time to come because it was busy but not too crowded.

This place is fun. The food is really good. The atmosphere is great. They have a good menu it's not overwhelming. It does get crowded, which is great! At times I felt that the air was not moving. Like a fan on would have helped!

Food was really good and our waiter was AMAZING! But we ordered a pitcher of Margaritas and it was filled to the brim with complete ice.. Very disappointing for $75 for the pitcher and we were only able to get about a drink and a half a piece out of it. We did speak to two managers and although one offered to take a little off the bill, we felt they were both being dismissive stating that- "this is what it is" for their pitchers which was a bit rude, condescending, and inappropriate.. We understand COVID has had a true unfortunate impact on most if not all businesses, but this was simply not fair nor reasonable for customers.. After speaking with both managers, we simply suggested to give that extra that they would remove from the bill (which was not much) to our waiter who again, was AMAZING! It was more of just being honest, transparent, and upfront about what you're getting before hand and making it right because a pitcher full of ice for a margarita for $75 is by far unacceptable. I live and frequent restaurants downtown and have NEVER experience this at all.. So, just be mindful when visiting for your next visit to El Rey! ~Enjoy & Safe Outings:)

El Rey is one of my favorite taco spots. The food is awesome, and if you show up during happy hour (5-6:30 M-F), you can get $1 tacos along with other great food and drink specials. I personally love the guac and classic margaritas (only $4 during happy hour). I can't stay away from El Rey!

Really good food at pretty decent prices. Good for a casual evening or a meal/drinks before you head out.

The restaurant does the usual range of Mexican food, good range of beer, small wine selection. Great waiting staff. Good atmosphere.

I didn’t eat lunch before boarding my train to Philadelphia so arrived, checked into my hotel and looked for someplace to eat. I found this place on Tripadvisor and was very happy with my choice. I decided to sit at the bar although a couple of other tables were occupied. Although it was almost 4, I was able to order the two course lunch special. I ordered the tortilla soup and chicken verde enchiladas. I also ordered a margarita. The people behind the bar were friendly and prompt. My margarita was excellent and they provided chips and salsa, which were very good. It took about 10 minutes for my soup. It was delicious. Really rich and satisfying—so satisfying that I probably didn’t need my enchiladas. They arrived and were solid. They weren’t quite as good as the soup, margaritas, and chips/salsa but I enjoyed them. Overall a great experience.

Went here for a business lunch during the week. They have a lot of seating, and there are lunch specials. I had a tortilla soup and pork tacos (Carnitas). The tortilla soup was pretty good, but it appeared to have pork rind in it, which is something I hadnt seen in that kind of soup before. It was a little hard to bite and was crunchy, which I didnt expect in that soup. I had the pork tacos, they were good, but it was a smaller portion than I expected.... they seem more like an appetizer size than an entre size... but it was quite tasty... The tacos were served on a large ungarnished plate which made it seem like even less food... it probably would have been good to have a little bed of shredded lettuce or carrots to make the presentation better. There were some complementary nacho chips, but they seemed thick and a bit oily for my tastes... all in all, it wasnt a bad meal, but didnt wow me either... Id consider trying it again though...

this eatery has quite varied and authentic Mexican food, much beyond the usual. Large bar, with good happy hour prices before 6:30. Service knowledgeable and friendly. the only drawback was loudness of background noise level. Los Moles was especially tasty set of dishes.

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner and ordered a few simple dishes: chicken enchiladas, rice and refried beans. The chicken enchiladas were soggy and prepared in a green chili sauce which neither of us enjoyed. The rice arrived with peas and carrots in it, and tasted a lot like something that one would order in a Chinese restaurant. I didn't think it was possible to ruin refried beans, but the beans were pureed and mixed with anise, something I have never come across in any Mexican restaurant. If you are visiting Philadelphia and want to go out for Mexican food, I would not recommend this restaurant. However, they do serve decent alcoholic beverages.

This'll be quick. OMG - We dropped the best part of $1000 on a set menu meal for 14 (including 2 small children - sorry, they were part of our party, they weren't on the menu), and it was shockingly bad. Bland, over-Mole'd, bland, tasteless, did I say bland? Slow service (alcohol was part of the deal, we got served one drink in the hour we were there). Save yourself some cash - I've taken one for the team on this one.

Environment is a bit loud but the food and margaritas are great. They have interesting options like short rib enchiladas which were amazing. If they have the guacamole sampler, do it, some great combination of flavors! Also, this place is affiliated with the Ranstead Room so u can ask ur server to put u on the list there to go for drinks after.

We had the empanatas, tacos and enchiladas. All were fresh and delicious Great for gluten free patrons. Most dishes made with corn tortillas. Happy hour weekdays until 6:30 too. I had Red Sangria, felt like we were in Mexico. Ambiance is casual yet inviting.

Recently dined here with a co worker for lunch. This is a steven starr property. This was the first time I dined here so I wasn't sure what to expect. This used to be an old diner so they kept the layout the same but modernized it a bit to fit the retro/chic/Mexican theme I guess is a good way to describe- casual atmosphere with starr prices. I had the crab and avocado salad. It was really good. I ordered the dressing on the side which I'm glad I did b/c it had enough other stuff in it, it didn't need anymore flavor. Service was just ok, a lot of young college girls were working. They seemed to have gotten distracted gossiping with each other. I would go back b/c the food was good. Lunch came to almost $40.00 with tax and tip.

Had delicious tacos at El Rey -- highly recommend the brisket, lamb, and duck. The homemade chips are great, but the guacamole is only ok. The ambience and decor are really cool.

El Rey is a bit higher end Mexican and they had a somewhat more interesting menu than usual - broader range of peppers, etc. but it still based on the usual suspects of Mexican food in the US. So I had some hope it would be interesting. And the price point was reasonable. Sadly the experience was mostly ok. Decent wines, good Mexican beer (Pacifico). The food was fine - good salsa and guac but the mains were over-seasoned and the rice was overcooked. Given the great restaurants in Philly, I won’t be back.

All the food is extremely fresh and delicious. The ceviche is tremendous. Only negative is that it can painfully loud.

Weird tangent: I know this isn’t the most popular choice anymore, but I love it when restaurants set low lighting and light real candles. A little touch but it goes a long way. ANYWAY! This spot was great. They are definitely taking a lot of precautions for indoor dining during Covid. Our server was excellent! Very friendly. I had the chicken fajitas and they were pretty good. Not blow your socks off, but not bad either. I asked for some hot sauce and that definitely helped! The beans/rice were also pretty bland on their own, but nothing a little seasoning couldn’t fix! My husband had the pork fajitas and quite liked them. Overall, not a bad spot.

Found this place by accident and was so happy I did. I wouldnt call El Rey your "typical" western Mexican place and thank goodness it isnt! What El Rey is, is a place that happily treats your taste buds with authentic Mexican cuisine and tempts you to discover more on more on their menu. I was so happy, I came back the next day for lunch :-) Try the fundido (Mexican equivalent fondue) with spare rib meat - its pure heaven. Follow this up with Chicken Pastor and you will have a very happy tummy! Recommend this for friends, family or just going solo.

Stumbled upon this place on a recent trip to Philadelphia and, after convincing the other people I was with to go inside, we were greeted by a wonderfully kitschy atmosphere and a friendly staff. Even though El Rey serves Mexican food, it maintains the appearance of a diner, which I immediately fell in love with. We got to sample several of the dishes from the menu and each one was outstanding. I was impressed by the attention to detail (the chips are great, for one thing). It's like a funky Mexican food oasis. Either way, I loved this place and will definitely be back.

The food is great. good for hang with friends. I wish they could have more variation of the food and more authentic.

The chile Relleno was amazing...on the spicy side!! Loved the guacamole... Mostly Avocados... The way guacamole should be! Yes, it is on the noisy side... Especially on a Saturday night. Thank you - Sierra, Mary, and Nick - for making it a great evening. We will be back!!

Great food...u have to get the guacamole and sangria! The prices were very good for the quality and portion of food. Staff was friendly and the atmosphere was fun. Only complaint, it was a bit noisy and hard to hear the people at my table and the waitress. You have to go!

It was so loud that we could not talk...the service was horrible. While the food came fast (albeit all at the same time, apps and dinner), our waiter did not ever come back to check on us...ever. The manager did come by to check on us when most of us were nearing the end of out dinner. When we told him that the chicken tacos were spicy and soggy and that the rice was completely mush, he did take it off the bill and bring us a churros order on the house. But the guacamole sampler had no taste and the portable love tacos were also spicy and soggy. Needless to say we would not go back.

We were looking for another Mexican restaurant and by passed it. Rather than double back we kept going. My daughter spotted EL Rey and we decided to give it a try. We had a great meal and some of the best service that I have had in years. The food was fresh and very good. The drinks were fabulous. We enjoyed the fun atmosphere and as I said our waitress was fantastic. All the other staff members were attentive without being in your face. Drinks were always full and table always cleared. I highly recommend it. We all enjoyed it from my 18 year old daughter to my 75 year old mother.

We were a party of 8. Originally had a reservation down the street where after waiting for our table for 50 minutes decided to see if el rey served brunch. They accommodated us beautifully. Had a great brunch. Great friendly service. Brunch with a Mexican twist. Generous portions.

food was good, with a different type of menu than the normal Mexican restaurant. I ordered the flank steak which was delicious. it came with spaghetti squash which was a nice accompaniment and fried avocado. I think I would have preferred raw avocado though, as it had sort of an old oil taste. flavor of the steak was good, but not the best I've had. Menu didn't have a lot of appealing options for my palate. Service was good, and restaurant was clean and bustling. May try again soon.

Dined at El Rey for the first time recently and I was not disappointed. The food was delicious and plentiful. Our waiter, I think his name is Stephen was excellent. He was able to provide recommendations with details. Not just that's good but why he thought it was a good choice. I will definitely return to this restaurant if I'm ever back in the area.

Margaritas were great, but the rest is sub-par. Noise level at the extreme. Single bathroom facilities for each gender. Unappealing dishes loaded with salt and not so much on taste. Server was very friendly, but never around to clear dishes or pay attention to our needs. Bottom line it was a wasted trip into the city.

My review title is about our meal - not our date! My wife and I have enjoyed this restaurant on several visits to PHL. Foremost, this restaurant handles food allergies very well. My wife has Celiac disease, and it is so wonderful not to get a bland piece of boiled chicken because a paranoid chef or over-protective server worries that salt or pepper is bad for gluten-sensitive diners. But I digress. The Nachos are huge - literally, and colloquially (as in the way our 'tween says "huge" to mean "good."). We make Margaritas at home from scratch, not from mix, and El Rey's are pretty close to being as awesome as ours are (he said, modestly, but truthfully) and at a very reasonable price. Plus, it's great that you can get them in a pitcher. The Sangria is very sweet and nicely seasoned, but I just end up drinking them like grape soda and telling bad dad jokes all night. Again, I digress. The tacos are hot, fresh, do not fall apart, and are small enough that you can try several different kinds in one meal. I went off our normal path and tried the paella last time and it was excellent - right down to the crawdaddies (that's crayfish). Finally, every time the bill comes we do a double-take and nearly LOL at how reasonable the meal is. The two things we would change about El Rey are that it gets really noisy and can be hard to hold a conversation if you are in a big party; and their reservation system is bizarre. They only take reservations for parties of 4 or fewer. But they want you to call ahead with big parties. They just need to get their chorizo together on this, and it will be great!

I ordered the lamb tacos for lunch and they tasted great. The atmosphere is very vibrant and the staff is friendly and professional. If you want to try authentic Mexican cuisine you must go to El Rey which is considered to be Philly's best Mexican restaurant.

An entire brunch menu supplemented by a Brunch Specials menu! On Saturday. Yea! Homemade super-hot hot sauce. Yea! Perfectly retro interior, huge portions, reasonable prices. Efficient service. Simply loved the place!

Fourth or fifth time to El Rey and two of those visits because we couldn't get in to a different place around the corner. Happy hour is awesome with $1 tacos, $2 and $3 specials plus $5 margaritas. Food is good but not special, drinks smaller but full strength. Nachos good with guacamole and/or salsa. As the joint fills up it will get loud. Very loud. Decor is like a cheap tex mex bar, though I'm sure planned exactly with that in mind. You decide : El Rey or El Vez. Totally different worlds.

El Rey has very quickly become a regular outing for me and my fiance. Wait staff are friendly and attentive, and were very conscientious when he asked about gluten-free options (they have a dedicated fryer, among other things.) Definitely go for the carnitas tacos and short rib enchiladas. If you're in for brunch, the Huevos Estrellados are everything you could ask for in a brunch dish. Wash it down with a Michelada (think Mexican Bloody Mary, but made Tecate), and you're good to go! Excellent value for money, bot in terms of portion size and the quality of the food. Plus, you're surrounded by posters of Mexican wrestlers and pulp films. So much fun.

Phenomenal whole in the wall Mexican restaurant ;-) Phenomenal authentic mexican restaurant with OUT OF THIS WORLD DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS for $9.99! The food was super good, tasty and right on point!!! Their margaritas are delicious!!! Overall great spot to get your mexican fix!

Stopped for lunch during Thanksgiving week. I thought the food was very good. The best part was the appetizer of nachos which were loaded and more than enough for four people. I've never had nachos with sausage before. The chicken enchiladas were good, as well. Everyone in my party were happy with their food choices.

The best part of my visit was the price! $9.95 for the lunch menu and you get chips and salsa, a soup or salad and an entree. I ordered esquites and chilaquiles with eggs. The esquites were amazing but the chilaquiles con huevo could be better. At the end I was full and had spent only $10, which is a great price for central Philly! They advertise this restaurant as Mexican, but is Mexican food with a heavy American influence, so it's not really authentic.

Guacamole, salsa and chips were great. Margaritas were a bit small but tasted great! Had the chicken enchiladas were they were excellent. Ask for their habanero salsa - its very hot but worth the pain. Everything everyone in my large party had was well received. We were a party of 20 and the service was exceptional!

Overall a good Mexican Restaurant. My wife and I ordered a pitcher of Margaritas and they were good but there was a lot of ice. I had camerones,shrimp,and it was good but not what I would call great. Our waiter was excellent and the service was outstanding. The best tip is to set up after dinner drinks at the Ranstead Room after. You are escorted through a secret path to this Speakeaasy experience.

Really not happy with our lunch.The salsa that came with the chips had little flavor and no spice.The Margarita was small and wasn't even good.Had mushroom soup which had decent flavor but tasted my wife's tortilla soup and was very diappointed.Main course was short rib enchilada which tasted like my grandmother's boiled short ribs.I'm used to flavorful Mexican food and this place was very disappointing.Would not return.

Our server Cody was awesome. Recommended some great food and drinks. Also pointed us to the mutter museum.

Fantastic dinner and drinks with friends! Loved their margaritas and selection of beers. Had their Queso Fundido with tortillas to start - Awesome and highly recommend! Entrees included the Shrimp Fajitas, Chicken Enchiladas, Chili Relleno, and Vegetable Burrito. All were top notch! And the service was outstanding. I wish we caught the names of the waiters that served us. Very attentive and helpful with our selections. Great atmosphere and vibe in this place - we will definitely be back!

Very good meal and will return. Our server, Shannon, did an excellent job of guiding an out-of-towner thru the food and beverage menus.

Great food. Need to advise that cheese and carbs are not desired as menu doesn't state that food brings those items on it.

To be in central Philly El Rey has a good value for money, it's just very crowded in the weekends so reserving a table is recommended. Enchiladas end sharing platters are the best!

Overall visit was good, food great, value was well worth the trip from Abington to Center City. The only negative was the noise level. The 5 of us found ourselves almost yelling at each other to hold a conversation. No a place for an intimate date but was well worth our visit. 170$ for the 5 of us with 4 drinkers and good size plates. Will visit again if I am in town and looking for good Mexican fare.

Authentic Mexican food, none of your TexMex chain rubbish. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. Always try and have dinner here when in town.

Get the deal on their great margarita at Happy Hour then order the daily special. We have never gone wrong with this formula! Fun and relaxed.

This place has amazing authentic Mexican food. Very good vegetarian options. Service was quick and very courteous. Didn't mind waiting for the food.

I really enjoyed the lunch special. Had an ample serving of chips and salsa and beef nachos and had barely enough room for the entree of enchiladas. I would like to go try their happy hour specials.

Ate here for lunch before Mutter visit. Very crowded at lunch. Service excellent and friendly. Not "authentic" Mexican but I don't think that's what they are aiming for. Everything is fresh. Good portion size - but if you are super hungry order appetizers. Chips and salsa cost$4.50. They charged me $2 for a thimble-full of salsa even when I asked to have it substituted for all the taco sides (cheaper for them). Beans and rice were extra ($4 each) Drinks were expensive. Total bill when we weren't really all was about $51 for 2 people. I would go again on rare occasions - knowing exactly what it is.

We ended here for dinner and it was wow! We loved the seafood ceviche, very fresh and tasty, and the nachos chips, the best chips we have ever had!! Staff was nice and attentive.

This delightful, hip Mexican restaurants serves up authentic and high quality Mexican food in a fun, pretty, atmosphere. The staff here were wonderful and the young woman who appeared to be the manager or owner was so friendly, accommodating and attentive to my husbands vegetarian and gluten free diet. The food was well prepared and delicious. I highly recommend this fun Rittenhouse square restaurant. Don't miss the chayote salad and the mushroom soup. They are highlights!

The happy hour Margarita ($4) was a delicious great bargain. Other wine options were good and fairly priced. Three us us dug into the Plato Fiesta ($30) that was had various tasty dishes. We were happy and hope to come back next time we are in town.