Lucha Cartel Reviews

Just had drinks here fairly late, but atmosphere is like an unexpected naive art museum with paintings and masks of wrestlers and folk Mexican art from Day of the Dead throughout. Definitely worth stopping in for a look around. It was fairly quiet at 10-11 on a Saturday night, which is sometimes a relief.

I loved this property. Really quirky, with great staff and good food. A very impressive happy hour - the margaritas are to die for. Many thanks to Misty and Tim for their wonderful service and camaraderie - made for a great evening!

This is a small, quaint place, located in Old City part of Philly. •Parking can be difficult to find, as it’s a busy street. However, there are parking lots & garages within a block or two. •Ambiance/decor - has the authentic latin/Mexican feel. Offers outside seating, weather permitting •Service - greeted with a smile, accommodating to your preference. When busy, service could be a bit slow, just to get your water glass filled •Food - I had the tacos (pork is amazing, chicken too dry & bland, beef was ok), guac con queso is phenomenal!!! I actually got my friend & her son to eat it & they do not like anything. Chicken soup was flavorful & satisfying. Empanadas, chicken was tasteful, beef was not. A bit disappointed with the price ($11 for 2). Nachos are a huge portion & can be split between 2/3 people. Salsas are made with the perfect kick. •Drinks - this was my favorite, as I am a tequila connoisseur! Their margaritas are fabulous!!! I would never think of the mixtures they created but they were awesome! I recommend the jalapeño margarita!!! •Price - it’s alittle on the high side •Night entertainment - each night they have different entertainment from karaoke to a band to a dj & latin dancing lessons Overall, this is a great restaurant & if you like Mexican food, I would definitely try it out!

This restaurant was recommended by our hotel and it did not disappoint! From the homemade chips and salsa and cheese dip (to die for!) to the shrimp tacos and quesadillas and fajitas everything was amazing! Highly recommend

The decor is intended to remind the golden age of Mexican wrestling (remember El Santo?). Good drinks selection (also Margaritas, of course). Nice, fun ambiance.

Everything about this restaurant is amazing! Out of this world Mexican food and drinks with the coolest atmosphere! The staff was so kind and helpful! Wish we lived here so we could be regular diners!

When here with my family for dinner on a family trip to Philly. I thought the chicken tacos were pretty good, my wife got the fajita and said it was decent, though the chicken was not as flavorful as she would have liked. Kids enjoyed the nachos. Recommended if nearby and in the mood for Mexican food.

Lucha has some of the best tex-mex food in the area, but its priced is on the high side for what doesn't sometimes compare with the value; The nachos being the exception. Dinner brings a few more options to the menu like the steak quesadillas, which are great. One of my major complaints would be how they seem to hoard the salsa like its gold, the verde is very good, but with chips or some of the other meals you're through the small bowl 1/3 the way through the course/chips, asking for more can some times get you attitude from the sometimes bored or overworked staff. Evenings tend to be more lively and entertaining than afternoon. The patio is nice in the summer but not shaded, so you'll get burned out there if you aren't prepared. The interior needs a major cleaning, with lots of dust built up on all the decor above, vents, masks. Restrooms are generally clean, though downstairs, like some of the other restaurants in Old City. They have some unique infused liquors, as well as cache of tequila. The craft beers are mostly pedestrian, with some of the taps having spoilage/cleaning problems. I've brought up concerns in the past that usually get an eye roll. Draft beers do seem like they hang around longer than other places, likely because they plough through mixed drinks more.

Food and drinks just ok, nothing to write home about. Service was good, didn't have to wait long. Only if you are hungry and other places are full, as happened to us.

This place was great. My only problem was that I have a 6 year old, and when I asked my hotel for a place they made reservations here. I asked if it was family friendly and they told me it was. We went and although they were very accommodating there was no "kids" menu options. If you want great mexican food this is definitely the place to go, but be careful if you have kids.

From the outside you're not exactly sure what you're going to get. The Mexican wrestling motif is everywhere and the place is small inside. However... this was one of the best Mexican meals I've ever had! We all opted for some type of seafood- salmon over rice, salmon tacos, etc. and they were all fantastic. Don't get your usual Mexican fare here- it pays to branch out and try something new.

Food was great, although it took forever to get after ordering. I was not impressed by the service. My waitress came back to check on the table 1 time after I ordered food, which meant getting a drink refill was nearly impossible. Pretty sure I didn't see a smile cracked from anyone working there my entire visit. The decor was really awesome and favorite part of my visit. If you are looking for a place to feel welcomed, this is not a place I'd suggest visiting.

This restaurant is located in a weird area, near other bars and restaurants. It definitely isn't easy to find parking, so we uber & just walked around. The décor is very whimsical and unique, cool vibes The staffs were fast & friendly. They kept us entertained and provided excellent service. Our group decided to join their happy. Enough variety of drinks selections: Sangria, House Margs, Drafts. from light to dark craft brews, one Flying Fish (Somerdale, NJ) and one Full Pint (North Versailles, PA). Love the Margarita Drinks are super strong which equals amazing. We got the chorizo sliders - Great, nice flavor The chicken quesadilla, and chicken empanadas - Mediocre The usual squids ceviche - Love it but small portion Would like to come back & try salsa lessons

supurb wait staff. Casual ourdoor dining. Fish tacos were great. Locally popular, and recieved advise on other dining and sites.

We took advantage of a brunch special offer for two on another site for $36 and were pleasantly surprised. We started with a pitcher of margaritas and surprise - it actually contained tequila! The margaritas were quite tasty. Often one just gets sugar and alcohol but this pitcher definitely contained alcohol. Next we ordered the mussels as an appetizer. I was a a apprehensive to do so but was again pleasantly surprise. The habenero chili and chorizo sauce was extremely tasty and the mussels were fresh. I had the huevos veracruzano which were again tasty and were enough to satisfy my appetite even without the appetizer. My wife had the huevos rancheros which came with 1 and a half chorizo sausages which is much more than what normally receives in a restaurant. OVerall the brunch was tasty and satisfying. A definite alternative to the normal brunch fare of eggs benedict (which they also have) or omelette. Will definitely return - at least for happy hour that runs from 4-7.

I was in town for a conference and a colleage suggested we have lunch at Lucha Cartel. She had eaten there two days in a row and liked it enough to go for a third day. I had the pork tacos and they were presented in an artful way they were very good. The atmosphere here is great, as long as you appreciate day of the dead and Mexican wrestling. I can only imagine what this place is like at night.

Standard Mexican style menu. My wife liked her chicken quesadilla very much. I liked my steak fajita except that the steak was chewy, not tender. On the other hand, I was very happy that the steak was not marinated and had a delicious beef flavor. House margarita was fine. Chips were OK, salsa not really to my liking. Service was good but hard to evaluate because there were only two other tables occupied due to Covid. Atmosphere very casual, not a special occasion place.

We had dinner here on a Saturday night before doing a ghost tour. The decor is interesting and fits the place perfectly. Excellent margaritas. Food was very good and our server was great. We actually went back after the tour for a few more margaritas with friends and they were still just as good. The place was crowded but we had room and eventually got a table for our group. Would recommend if you are in that area.

Took a break from a work conference to walk around the neighborhood and found Lucha Cartel. Staff was very pleasant, made a few recommendations and my lunch did not disappoint. I started off with chips and pico de gallo and then had the fish tacos. Would love to go back when I have time to hang out a bit!

In the heart of Olde City Philadelphia. Great area to walk around on a nice night. Expect to pay for parking. Average is about $25. Lucha Cartel has a nice simple charm to it. Staff was nice. Waiter was good. It is a very loud restaurant in the evenings. Prices were average for the City. Although I really wanted nachos I decided to go for something else because the nachos looked huge and would not have left me room for my meal. From what I saw the nachos looked wonderful but I would say split them between 2-4 people. We opted for the ceviche rojo. It was well balanced with the citrus and fresh onion and cilantro. It is a small appetizer. Nice for one, but we shared between two. (Sorry for pic.... we already started eating before I took pic) I had the camarones al mezcal. (Shrimp with mango sauce. ). It was a smaller dish, but filling. It was four large pieces of shrimp over plantanes. It had a sweet n slight spice to it. It was good, I just don't care much for sweet with my seafood. But it wasn't overly sweet or anything. It also came with a side of white rice which had some peas etc in it. Rice very good too. Husband had the arrachera. (Steak). This was a very nice sized portion.... sorry forgot to take pic. We enjoy our steak medium rare. It was tender with a bit of spice. Had a nice side of fresh avocado and cherry tomatoes with a citrus flavor and some grilled onion and the same rice. When we go back we would both definitely get this dish again. Enjoyed greatly. Enjoyed the meal. Would go back. Just didn't like how noisy it was. But that seems to be par for the course for any city restaurant with a bar. But check out their website. Because I think on saturdays after 10 they have Latin music and dancing! Sounds great. What an easy night out that would be.... one place... good dinner then music and dancing.

Went here for a late lunch on a Friday afternoon. We all got beef nachos. Just the right amount of toppings. Good service. The rest of the menu looked good as well. The restaurant has a dark, Latin wrestling theme.

We went here based on the Trip Advisor reviews and it didn't disappoint. It was delicious! The chips and salsa was great as well as the chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla had such a wonderful flavor. The atmosphere was unique/creepy with the skulls everywhere. We really enjoyed our meal!

Authentic Mexican fare with fresh ingredients and seasonings. We had empanadas for appetizers, which were very good. The fish tacos were excellent. Highly recommend.

We decided to check this place out for lunch, since we were craving Mexican. We ordered a couple margaritas, nachos & tacos. The nachos were on point and layered with cheese and toppings. The margaritas and tacos were just ok, nothing special. The service was friendly and the decor is fun and eclectic.

Hung out with friends here on Saturday night and had a really good time. The place was empty, probably due to the torrential downpour, but our party was big and it was nice having the place to ourselves. The vibe and the decor are really cool. We enjoyed pitchers of margaritas made with freshly squeezed juice. Delicious! I'd definitely like to go back for lunch or dinner.

Good food, nice ambience, good service. Paid parking half a block up or street parking (more on Front street, a short walk). Empanadas and salsa were good. If you like it spicy, they have some hot salsa that goes well with the food. Must try the pineapple Jalapeño margarita

The happy hour specials were good and the food wasn’t bad. We went for a friends birthday during happy hour. The service, however, was terrible. Nailah was our server and rolled her eyes when we asked for water, and AGAIN when we didn’t want to upgrade our margaritas to flavors for an additional charge. You would think that on a $200 happy hour check, Nailah wouldn’t be inconvenienced when we wanted water or the margarita on special. When it came time to pay, we asked to split the check. Nailah stood there for a long moment, contemplated whether she’d be bothered to split the check a few ways. Eventually, she said “nah” and walked away. It was too much trouble for her to do her job. Wouldn’t go again after the horrible service even though the food and drinks were good and they had decent deals.

Great happy hour drinks and food! Love the guacamole and chips!!! Margaritas delicious!! Love their tacos!! Fun atmosphere! Locals recommended this restaurant.

I went there for brunch and they served amazing food. Great variety of both egg based and other dishes. Their margaritas are great too. I forgot my credit card there and didn’t realise till the next day and thanks to the honest staff, it was still there at 2am the next day when I went to get it, phew! Definite recommendation if in the old city!

I was pleasantly surprised at what a good restaurant this was. In fairness I overlooked it because the prior restaurant in this space was pretty bad. We sat at the bar for late night dinner and drinks. Enjoyed great service, margarita's were very good and the bar has a great tequila selection. Most impressive was the food. Ordered several items between us and everything was very tasty. Warning the salsa selections are really spicy. Perfect for my taste, however likely not for most. Only down side is the space is very loud. Will definitely be back.

Made a reservation and dined there on a warm, summer Friday evening before heading to a concert at BB&T. The service was exceptional from the jump, especially considering how busy it was. Right in the crush of happy hour/dinner rush, we were originally seated at a small end table directly next to the bar and the kitchen entrance. It was a lively seat, but was loud and not super romantic, so I took a shot and asked if we could be moved. Without any hesitation we were shifted to a beautiful outdoor table, which was quieter and allowed for awesome people watching. We started with the delicious guacamole and chips, and two margaritas - delicious. Lots of flavors and options, and we picked a couple of good ones. The conversation flowed and our service was impeccable, and we decided to split the ceviche rojo and the trio of fish tacos. Flavors were on point, portions were splittable and the ambiance is cool and lovely. As a first timer, I was impressed, this was a great meal and I am anxious to get back there. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

Very good Mexican food, the restaurant decoration is very allegorical with masks and Mexican symbols. The service is very attentive. I suggest you order Roaste Pork

This is my husband's favorite restaurant. He loves the bar. The food is good, and the bartenders know how to make a drink. No mater what it is.

Amazing, delicious food again and again. Sit on the patio for people watching in Old Town. Be prepared for a little wait but definitely worth it. Try a Mexican soda with your meal!

We came for lunch from the Museum of American Revolution nearby. Service was a little slow but friendly. The inside is cool. They have a small outdoor patio in front for nice days. Food was not authentic Mexican but an updated/ modern version which was good but a little underwhelming and slightly overpriced. If you want chips - they are $12 with guacamole.

The interior of Lucha Cartel itself is an interesting sight and worth taking a look at. Much different than any other Mexican place I've been to. The food was good. The chips and dip were very nice and the meal itself was nice. The bread or dough used for the quesadilla was very good, really note worthy. If you're looking for a good Mexican I would check it out.

Lucha is my go-to Mexican joint, when I'm in the mood for it. I'm not much of a Mexican fan as, growing up in the ole' LV, "Mexican" was tacos and nachos. My college days saw the cuisine expand onto burritos, chimichangas and tequila. It gets boring after awhile. It becomes an unpreferred cuisine after daily smellings of vomit and half-digested burritos after a evening of partying with friends and the rest of the college youth. Enter Lucha Cartel. First discovered serendipitously on evening out in Old City, my 28year old self and boyfriend decided to give it a try. We are now major fans and eat dinner there almost every time we spend an evening in Philly. The decor is, well, Lucha themed (obviously). The dark colored walls give out a loungey type feel and the Lucha paintings are not to be taken seriously (ie - the last supper portrait). There is outdoor seating available, weather permitting, although I've never had the opportunity to partake. I'm a major sucker for their home made chips & guacamole, which I always order as an appetizer to help soak up all the tequila-inspired drinks that bartenders randomly make up that day. I typically don't order chips/nachos at Mexican bars as I find them tasteless. Perhaps this is an issue only up in the LV? I typically order the Cerviche Rojo, a dish featuring red snapper, onions, peppers, sesame seeds and some type of sauce. I fell in love the first time and its sad that other "Mexican" joints up my way don't serve this dish. Or any other type of fish, other than white fish for tacos. The Vegan Avocado salad is perfect for a light lunch/dinner on a warm day (it's filling, but doesn't sit like rocks inside the tummy). For those looking to share a meal, the MAIN EVENT section of the dinner menu takes care of that. This is when I'll typically order a fajita, then remind myself that I'm not in the LV anymore and its expected to expand my palate a bit!

Just went here after work since it's right across the street from work. The food and drinks were good but the staff is a bit slow and there were a few others who didn't get what they ordered or got it after having to ask a few times for it.

If you are looking for real Mexican food. This is the place to go. Awesome food and great service. Will definitely come back to this restaurant the next trip to Philadelphia.

Me and my wife were having a hard time finding parking and we went on a hunt to find a good place to eat after we couldn't get to the place we trying to go to. Well we saw the restaurant Amada just like a couple of buildings down from this restaurant. We first went to Amada and we waited for 15 minutes just sipping water to make an order so my wife was like let's leave and we did. We stumbled across Lucha Cartel and we are glad we did. First, the waiter we had was amazing and attentive to when we needed more to drink. Second, the food selection was good. Third, the food was amazing. Fourth, the food was well priced. Fifth, the food portions were great. I had the stuffed chicken with cheese and it was delicious. My wife had the pork belly soft tacos and they were amazing and tender. Do yourself a favor and check out this place for yourself.

The food was delicious, when it finally arrived after a 45 minute wait. Drinks also good, but way too long a wait. No excuses and no apologies. Our server did not seem very well trained and had no idea how to work a table. He was never there when he was really needed. We waited a long time after finishing eating to get someone to pack up the leftovers. We waited SO long for someone to get our payment that my husband finally tried to take it to the bar and pay there. He was rudely rebuffed by the bartender who falsely claimed that they were "really busy". The place was 3/4 empty at this point. It's a good location with good food. Train or re-train your staff.

Enjoyed happy hour prices on drafts - great deal! Also, good price for the Lucha nachos during happy hour as well. Nachos were REALLY tasty - very fresh pico, corn, cheese is melted (not a sauce), and the chips were yummy. Refried beans on the side were a good addition. LOVED being able to eat on the patio on a gorgeous evening, as well. Give this place a try!

Really great food, servers are super polite and the courses were well-timed. Love the Luchador kitsch!

Good restaurant with a Lively crowd. Good Staff and Service. They helped me with the Vegetarian Choice. The selection turned out to be excellent. Good tasty food. I had a spicy Margarita which was excellent. Left a spicy taste in the mouth. Would visit again.

The food was ok, not great not bad. The service was fine. The prices are far too high for what you get. At least one of three things needs to change: the prices (down) , the food quality (up to amazing), or the quantity of food for the price (portions are small). Right now the price/quantity mix is just out of whack.

We stopped by for dinner since this restaurant was close to our hotel. The service was very good and the food was delicious. We ordered chicken quesadillas and chicken enchiladas. They also brought chips and salsa while waiting for our meals. The food was delicious.

We enjoyed dinner with a small group of friends. Food was good and atmosphere was great! I would definitely eat here again.

Went for Sunday brunch; five of us. We were the only ones in the restaurant at first, but you know how at some places when there aren't that many patrons you're inexplicably "invisible" to the wait staff? That didn't happen here. Service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The brunch menu had something for everyone, and the items had a nice blend of fresh, traditional Mexican flavors. Everyone enjoyed their meals (and drinks) immensely. Fun atmosphere, great service, and good food and drink (nice draft beer list!)...definitely recommend it.

From the moment you walk in, you know you are in for a fun experience. Friendly wait staff and funky decor. Be sure to check out the ceiling. Brunch had great options such as huevos rancheros, burritos, etc. Jicama salad was delicious. Fried plantains as a side were perfect! Prices were reasonable. I had to take off a star for the inconsistent delivery of our food. Two people at our table received their food after the rest of us had finished our meals. My plantains arrived at the end if my meal instead of with my salad as a side. We did ask several times and were told our orders were up and on their way, but that was not the case. They were very pleasant, but this really took the enjoyment out of our experience. Hopefully they can get the kitchen on track. Otherwise a fun place and a tasty meal.

I'm from Philly but didn't know this place. Prices looked somewhat high so we were hesitant. But turned out it was happy hour (4pm to 7pm M - F) so 1/2 price draft beer and $5 small plates. Everything was fresh and delicious - really - guacamole, chips, chicken quesadilla, tacos - and service was friendly and attentive. We'll return.

This Mexican restaurant was right down the street from our hotel. After a long drive we were tired and hungry. The food was very good but we waited awhile. We were disappointed because we were hoping to walk around before dark so the delay was frustrating. Atmosphere is interesting, not for everyone. Loud conversations. So if you aren't in a hurry you'll enjoy the food and drinks.

Happened to find this place looking for a lunch spot on a recent Sunday afternoon. Between the 4 of us in our group, we had their pork sandwich, steak quesadilla, veggie enchilada's, and their eggs benedict. We all enjoyed what we had, as it was very tasty & well prepared. It's an odd or quirky little spot, decorated with a lot of masked wrestler theme (best way I can describe it), and the menu is not what I consider typical for Mexican restaruants, but it was very good food, and the service was also really good. They refilled beverages frequently and took good care of us. We will definitely keep it in mind for the future.

The food was decent but probably not even as good as a chain restaurant like Abuelo's. It wasn't bad or anything but I was just hoping for more. The restaurant was very clean with lots of interesting art and decoration and the service was very good.

I'd give it a 3.5 if available. Green sauce was way hotter than expected after reading reviews. Phew! I couldn't really taste the difference between the chips and guac (i.e., guac very bland). My fish tacos didn't have the cream sauce and tasted more like chicken; breading was very crispy.

We love this place! The food is delicious and authentic. They make delicious margaritas. It has a lovely atmosphere that is great for groups, girls nights or date nights. We love the high top tables. We would absolutely recommend it. The nachos are so good...especially when you add the roasted corn...yum! The guacamole is also good with the corn added to it! The enchiladas are fantastic. They are served with rice. My boyfriend likes to get the chicken enchiladas which he really enjoys. I get the vegetarian enchiladas which are made with kale, cheese, etc. and they are the best I've ever had at a restaurant. The sauce is so flavorful and the filling is plentiful and tasty. The tacos are served a la carte with three small tacos of your choice. These are good if you are going out afterwards and just want something light. They are not particularly filling if you are going hungry and want a filling entree. We have never had dessert here so I can't speak to it. We have had excellent service multiple times when we came as couples. I did come here once for girls night and had the same server that I had with my boyfriend and the service was extremely different which I find interesting. I guess a female server serving a group of females is not always going to be the best. She seemed irritated from the beginning and couldn't wait for us to go. When I came back with my boyfriend and had the same server, I told him I didn't think he was going to like her attitude. She was 100% different. She provided excellent service and we REALLY enjoyed her! We have been here multiple times where they clear the center tables and make room for salsa dancing, etc. it seems like a lot of work to clear the floor every night that they do this. We've never seen anyone actually dancing. The prices are reasonable and it's a nice night out. If you like Mexican food, I recommend giving it a try!

We went there to enjoy the Mexican food in downtown Philly and it was great The margaritas were great and so was the Avocado & chips and the chicken Fajitas The chocolate bread pudding was tasty and we ended with a coffee The ambience is great and we had a good time

Food was very good: luchas nachos, jicama salad with fish, and carne asada tacos. Service from waiter Carlos T was very good. Prices very reasonable.

Great place to sit outside and enjoy the city. Nice red covered patio and fantastic authentic mexican wrestling vibe. Try the sangria and guacamole. Great service.

Great food! Real mexican flavour! I really recommend enchiladas vegetarianas! Wonderful!! Id come again for sure! :)

Started with a small pitcher of Jalepeno Pineapple margaritas which were amazing!!! I had the Luche salad and my husband had the mole enchiladas. Both were excepetional, as was our waiter, Matt. We chose this place because it was next door to our hotel, and we are so glad we did!!!

Incredibly loud place popular with large groups. Interesting decor and good location but the food is a let down. Guacamole and chips very expensive and very bland. Chicken tacos tepid and not very tasty. Had better luck with fajitas. Good margaritas though and service was quite quick.

We stopped here after going to the new Revolutionary War museum. It's a short walk away. Boy, am I glad we did! Food was outstanding! Service was very good. Prices very reasonable. Everyone in our party enjoyed their food immensely. One even said he would make a point of coming back to center city for this restaurant. The guacamole was fabulous. Everything we tried was so good! I'm not from the area or I would have been back already.

My wife and I stopped in here on a recent freezing cold night during happy hour. I had tortilla soup and mushroom empanadas. The soup had a very hearty rich flavor that was great on a cold night. My wife had chicken soup and ceviche. She said the soup reminded her of chicken soups she has had from living in Latin America. Food was very good and the waitress was excellent. We have been here a few times by ourselves or with friends or family and have never had a bad experience. I definitely consider this as a good option for reasonably priced food when in the historic district.

not your typical taco, hand made corn tortilla, great steak al pastor with pineapple bits totally recommend it. great atmosphere.

Had a client dinner here last night - portions were very small, tasty food but very small. The biggest issue we had was that they have salsa dancing lessons at 9:30 and we were told that we had to be finished dinner at 9:20 when we had an 8:00 reservation - no notice given when we made the reservation and made our dinner party very uncomfortable to rush through dinner. Loved the dancing after but if you are going to have this as part of your nightly event let people know before they make a reservation

Passed this place so many times, and finally tried it for dinner. Guacamole was fresh but bland. They needed some salt, cilantro, lime... I can make it better at home honestly. Pretty sure they gave my boyfriend the wrong tequila. (He drinks it straight all the time. You get used to the colors.) Other than that, the food was good. It wasn't the best Mexican I've very had, but I would eat here again. The enchiladas were good, and the tacos looked good. The tacos are tiny so if you're a big eater, or sharing, you'll probably need two orders. Enchiladas were more than enough for one person though. The margaritas were good. Also, wish they were in bigger glasses. Good enough to come back. Not good enough to stop me from looking for better Mexican.

The guacamole is fantastic. We thought the enchiladas and steak fajitas were top notch. The service was terrific.

I go to Lucha Cartel very frequently. It is hands down my favorite restaurant to visit in Philly! The food is very authentic, yet universally liked. The drinks are delicious, and I have never had a bad meal here

I had spotted this restaurant on Tripadvisor. It was just a few doors from our hotel; an easy walk after a day of traveling. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food was so good as was the service. They didn't offer michelada on the menu, but I asked, and the waiter said they could make that. I asked for extra spicy. He even asked what beer I wanted. We settled on Modelo. I got the fish tacos with coleslaw. My table mate got the camarones with maduros (who can pass up maduros). The food arrived and looked great. And it was really good. Everything was cooked to perfection. After dinner our waiter brought the dessert menu. We decided to have after dinner drinks. I had Carajillo. I was so pleased to see the Liquor 43 I had to have it. My table mate had a shot of tequila. It was a perfect way to start our time in Philadelphia.

It was our first time at this pub. The service was excellent and the Mexican food was good. I had sweet potato tacos which were very tasty. The sangria was good too and not too sweet. It can get a bit noisy but it adds to the festive nature of the place. We would go again.

From the decor, the music, the menu - the vibe is this place is off the charts perfect. Our server/bartender was so attentive during our last visit. She recommended drinks not even on the menu based on what alcohol I prefer. The food - every time we go there, is sooo good. The portions are a little on the smaller side, but that leaves more room for chips and salsa and those tasty drinks. I really love this place and will be back for sure.

The tacos were very good. But I was a bit surprised by the cuisine style. New Age Mexican is the best way I can describe the meal. I had three miniature tacos that were very runny. Also, no additional sides? I then looked around the restaurant and realized I did not recognize the food. This was a strange feeling, it's not a typical Mexican restaurant but the food was tasty.

Come on Tuesday evenings! There is free salsa dancing lesson! What goes better with nachos and tacos than salsa! This is a fun and trendy mexican-themed restaurant. Not super authentic, but very delicious. Great atmosphere!

Went to Lucha after someone at our hotel recommended it. We were not disappointed! This place is fantastic! We were there during their awesome happy hour. If you love margaritas, you have to try their Jalepeno Margarita... yum! We had the guacamole, pico de gallo, shrimp empanadas and fondida... it was the best meal we've eaten in a long time! And, our bill was so reasonable! The ambiance is super cool, the staff are friendly and helpful and the place is squeaky clean... what more could you ask for?! Love this place and will be back when I'm in Philly again! :)

Just finished an evening ghost tour, and looking for a place to grab some dinner and drinks when we stumbled upon this place. It was a Saturday night around 8:45-9:00 PM and we managed to grab the last free table in the place before the wait started. It was pretty packed and busy, but our server and food runners were very attentive towards our party of two. My water glass was always full (this is very important to me, I down my water fairly quickly), and we were constantly being checked on. They have a good selection of specialty cocktails and margaritas, and it was hard to choose which tacos I wanted. They do offer complimentary chips and salsa. The interior of this place is just beautiful. Luchador decor everywhere (even the wallpaper), string lights, and sugar skull portraits. I'd say it's worth it to go just to see the interior of this place, plus you'll get great food (I recommend the pork belly tacos with pineapple sauce) and excellent service.

My boyfriend and I stopped in for dinner. He had been before and really liked it. The place has a cool decor. There is inside and a small outside eating area. We got there when happy hour started. They have a $5 happy hour menu with some food items and house margaritas/half off beers. I think the happy hour menu had a good selection. The service was average. The drink I ordered was okay. We got guacamole as an app and we enjoyed that. I got pork carnitas tacos as my entree. I wanted hard shells but they were out :( so I settled for the soft. The tacos were good, my only complaint is that they were really tiny and I wish I would have known that before ordering. They didn't come with a side either. Overall the food is good and I would stop in again.

Popped in on a whim while being a tourist. Delicious, fast, friendly! A perfect storm! Try the sweet potato tacos, so yummy!

A great tequila list with great prices. Food is really good and pretty good service. It can very loud inside though. Go look at the lucha Star Wars paintings in the bathrooms.

great place to meet friends, have a few drinks, and eat great mexican food. i did not have the drinks but everyone that did said it was really good. i had the tres enchiladas and they served a nice big portion. its in a nice spot in philly that is pretty active. i would come back here!

This is a Mexican style restaurant near the old city. Ample of space between tables, sitting inside or at the street (outside).While we ate there, most of the guests were at the age of 30-35. The walls decoration were very colorful and happy.The waitress was helpful. Basic Mexican style dishes if you like that kind of food.

Decided to check Lucha Cartel after an event I attended in the area. I was glad I was able to check it out. I felt the menu had lots to offer and I wanted to taste a few things to see if I would return. Me & my friend decided to try the Chorizo Queso; Pulled Pork Belly; Refried Beans; Sangria's & some Margaritas. The food was average, so were the drinks. The service was adequate and we made it through the meal feeling satisfied and full. I would return to check out Happy Hour and how the energy and vibe is during that time.

The atmosphere is fun and entertaining. The art and the music make it fun. Food delicious and the home meade hot sauces give a good kick! Drinks are delish too!

Good food and friendly staff. Cool spot to chill by yourself. They have outdoor seating too which is good. Brought my daughter here too and she liked it.

We had drinks here prior and decided to do dinner on our next trip into Philly ... The drinks were FABULOUS... But the food, very good but not TOTALLY AMAZING... We are foodies and especially love to sample different mexican restaurants...id return but most likely just fir drinks n apps... The servers snd bar staff are awesome but very slow! We waited almost an hour for our food ... A bit too long for mex food and just 2 of us.. Try it though, you will like it but not love it... 👌🏼

Great fish tacos. Good looking crowd and busy. Bartender was nice and server was fast and attentive. Fresh salsa was great. .small sized tacos but they were filled with fresh fish and worth the $15. We will go back for sure.

Great choices during happy hours from 5-7. You can eat and drink and save your dollars. Loved the chicken quesadilla and guacamole!

The food was delicious and tasted very fresh. The menu has a wide variety of brunch items in addition to interesting combinations for lunch. We all loved our dishes. But ... we ordered an appetizer and the waitress forgot to put in the order which was surprising because she was taking the order on a hand-held digital device. When the food arrived, we cancelled the appetizer order and were not charged. The restaurant and was not busy but our waitress would do one thing at a time and then disappear into the back room without even a glance at her tables. We had an appointment quickly approaching, so I walked to where she was and asked for our bill. It arrived about 5 min later and unfortunately one in our group had to pay with a credit card so we waited again. I walked the bill over to the bar and asked if he could process the card because we were running late at this point. It was very frustrating to have a spot with such delicious food and such terrible service. We will try this place again and hope the staff has been trained better by then.

Found Lucha Cartel in the Old Town Part of Philadelphia and was not disappointed. The place was buzzing with a great crowd enjoying the great drinks and fantastic food. IO started with the amazing Elotes and shared the chips and guac/salsa. Both perfect! As a main I had the Arrachera and my buddy had the Enchiladas de Pollo. The steak was perfectly seasoned and served as requested medium rare. The Enchilada was saucy, flavorful and delicious! Overall a perfect meal at a great price and well worth returning to.

Have been many times. Service continues to deteriorate. Bar tenders would rather talk to each others and friends than serve customers. Happy hour is a good value but not worth the lack of attention by staff.

The food was excellent. Empanadas amazingly fresh. Pork carnitos tacos delicious. Guacamole was fesh, with a little kick. Be careful of the salsas, they can be spicy!! Friends had vegetable quesadilla and camarones al mezcal. Also excellent. Would definitely come back.

Best nachos ever!!! Excellent cocktails:) Really fast service. The music was a little too loud...but ok:) All in one: A really good restaurant

A group of us attended a Sunday evening dance social at the restaurant. I was decided to order the chicken tacos. The chicken was well seasoned however it was more of an appetizer size versus dinner entree portion, surprising as the price was bit high for the three tacos. Two items accompanied the tacos, onions and cilantro, which wasn’t bad. I ordered a couple of glasses of the the Savignon Blanc wine which was good. The service staff was friendly and efficient. Would I return for an evening meal, ummm probably not.

The service and food were delicious the drinks were really delicious we can’t wait to go back again delicious delicious!

I was hoping to find a good mexican restaurant in Philly, this wasn't it. To start it is very dark in here, atmosphere is lacking. The food was just average, everything had a different after taste to it, even the rice. Had the enchiladas and was not impressed, did not seem fresh at all. I doubt I will be back, just too many other food options even in the immediate area.

I will keep it short and sweet: Great food, service and atmosphere. Thank you visiting from Maryland. i will come back anytime.

My review of the place has two separate parts: 5 stars for the restaurant, bouncers, decor, dance floor and DJs! It was an amazing experience in that regard! I danced a lot and had fun with my Latin friends who took me to meet The place! But, I am totally dissatisfied with the service or absence of him at the bar, I spent half of 40 minutes waiting for my turn to order a drink from Friday to Saturday night (5 am to 6 am)! There was a young man answering, one of the Batmans, straight hair, wearing a black and white or blue printed shirt (I'm not sure! He was totally inconvenient, rude and just pretended that I My friend, we didn't exist there! He simply refused to take our order and was making jokes with another guy inside the bar, looking at our faces and mocking! More than a year living in the US And it was the worst experience I've had here! I don't know why he did that, I felt terrible and horrified by the poor service from this guy! His service score is zero, he has zero education, zero empathy, zero Respect! I tried to call the manager or person in charge of the establishment and another guy tried to tell me something, but they simply ignored it and I continued without being answered and having to witness the face Of debauchery and the jokes of the boy in the printed shirt! Well, this was my first and perhaps only experience at this bar!

We stumbled upon this on a Sunday walk around Old City, and initially weren't too sure of what we'd find. The decor is off-putting--far too heavy an emphasis on the more macabre (to a North American eye) aspects of Mexican culture, with faux Día de los Muertos mementos at every turn. The brunch menu seemed a bit scanty. BUT our impressions changed dramatically once our food arrived. My husband ordered the enchiladas vegetarianas, made with what appeared to be fresh tortillas wrapped around rajas poblanas and kale (not a traditional choice, but it worked remarkably well), queso de Chihuahua, all bathed in a wonderful tomatillo sauce with just a hint of epazote. It came with a side of perfectly prepared rice. I went far simpler--a bowl of sopa de tortilla, which was delicately seasoned, with just the right amount of heat. The avocados topping the soup were perfectly ripe, almost melting into the soup. SO--ignore the ambiance, delight in the food. We'll definitely recommend it to our Philadelphia friends.

Wonderful tasting drinks and great tasting food! Location is convenient to city center and the water front. Very nice staff and interesting decor.

Honestly, the colorful decorations and great patio brought us in, but we didn't know we were in for such a good find!! The blue demon margarita was awesome (and strong!) We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the salsa lessons on a Tuesday night, however the restaurant was very loud. Lucha Cartel has some of the best tacos I have ever had. The sweet potato and fish tacos were AMAZING. My husband and I were very pleased, especially for the price. We were surprised to be some of the only tourists in here, as well.

This restaurant has a crazy vibe....between the wresting masks and the ghoulish artwork, I didn't know whether to be scared or laugh silly. Anyway, we had an amazing server who gave us helpful advice about the subway and taxis. The Happy Hour menu was perfect for us. For $5 each we ordered the guacamole, chorizo sliders and chicken quesadilla. The guacamole was a very generous portion and had a nice salsa bite which was smoothed by the avocado. The sliders were ok and the quesadilla was delicious! Did I mention the $5 margaritas? I had 2 they were so amazing! In the middle of February, they took me right back to the beach! My husband had a Carona and for both of us the bill came to $35. So worth every penny. If we are back in Philly, we will be back here!!

I had lunch here today. The food was fresh and delicious. Sadly, the service was inattentive and non-existent. Waitress talked to the host constantly, even after asking her for water. She instead had a five — minute conversation with the host. The host simply stands and leans against his podium. Manager disappeared for long periods so I couldn't even complain until the end. And to boot, the manager offers to do nothing to compensate. This is a very poorly-run restaurant. It needs immediate attention.

I had Monday off. We went into Philadelphia to eat a nice Italian meal for lunch. Not very many restaurants were open for lunch in that OLD City area of Philadelphia on Monday. I always forget this, and since we had already parked the car..we decided to find another place to eat in the area. Lucha Cartel was open and it was that or Irish Pub food. I'm glad we made the choice that we did. Lucha Cartel was delicious. It was definitely not crowded, but that means we got excellent service! The food was good to great, and we were all famished. I would definitely come back here. I really liked the Pulled pork tacos and my Margarita wasn't bad either. Reasonably priced.

Stayed at Hotel Monaco and decided to meander the streets after hours. Stumbled on Lucha and popped in for a few drinks. Bartenders were cool. Nice selection of beers. Decent margheritas. Didn't check the food fare.

The steak and pepper quesadilla was by far the best thing we ordered. The margaritas were tasty but the glasses were small. We ordered tacos and they were tiny. This is a good place to share multiple plates with friends.

We went there to dance salsa and it was nice to see many really good dancers. Place isn't too crowded, music was good. We really enjoyed cocktails and guacamole there. Nice atmosphere especially if you want to dance

Review purely for a Saturday night outing - we stumbled upon Lucha after learning that both Cuba Libre and Bleu Martini were charging covers. The place was pretty empty and the DJ was meh (wasn't a fan of his mixing of songs). Friends ordered a few of those huge drinks which I found pretty gross. All in all, it did the trick since we weren't ready to go home yet but would not be my first choice of venue.

My wife and I were in town for an event and stopped in for lunch and some drinks. Coming from a couple that goes to Mexico 2 or 3 times a year, this was the best Mexican food I have had in a long time! And the margaritas were FABULOUS! After our dinner event at the Hilton we decided to walk back down and have some drinks. The nightlife was amazing and the music was great. All of the drinks were fantastic and the service was fantastic. We are actually talking about taking another day trip up to Philly just to do lunch there and have some Margaritas!

I stopped in for a solo lunch, one a slow day. Service was friendly and attentive, but the food was nothing exceptional. My taco seemed a little oily, but other parts of the meal were better. This place may be totally different in the evenings when the margaritas are flowing. I'll give it another chance some evening.

Looking for a great place to have dinner, we passed by this restaurant the night before. It was packed on a Saturday, but not so bad on a Sunday. We decided to come try it. There's a small group of tables for outside eating but inside is fun too. Lots of interesting decor featuring Mexican wrestling. Just silly, really. The wait staff was attentive. Their suggestions for drinks paired with our meals really helped to round put the flavors. I had a lime soda with my street tacos and my husband had micro brew with his enchiladas. Super fresh chips and salsa. Highly recommend. A tad on the salty side, but still delicious. Our only complaint was the food was a little slow coming out to us since the restaurant wasn't so busy. I don't know how their staffing was in the kitchen, but in the end, the food was delicious, the accommodations were relaxing and we would come back again in a heart beat!!!

We had today the worst experience of our lives at Lucha Cartel. I've never been harassed in my life in that way. We stand up from our table just to dance and we were followed by the manager saying that we need to pay the bill, before dancing. We will never return again.

My family of three had lunch today at Lucha Cartel. It was my birthday and had wanted to go to El Vez. Could not secure a reservation. We know that Chestnut Street In Olde City has some fine redtaurants, so staying with Mecican, we went to Lucha Cartel. Very pleasantly surprised. It was not crowded and we were seated immediately. Antonio, our server, was engaging, knowledgeable regarding the food,and had a most pleasant personality. The guacomole was excellent served with great chips.my veggie enchiiladas were great along with the salad and quesadila my wife and daughter had. The salsa served with the guacomole was very good. I asked for the trio of hot salsas I read about on TA as I like spicy food. Hot, hotter, and hottest.Combine the three sauces any way you like. The server, the food, and the atmosphere all added up to a great meal and a wonderful birthday lunch. The white rice served with my enchilada was awesome. Did not miss El Vez at all.Thanks Antonio

Beautiful Sunday evening and my boyfriend and I wanted some early evening margaritas and appetizers. Here is where the horror started. First round of drinks was great. Jalapeno Margarita had a delayed spice to it that was very pleasant. My boyfriends' old fashion was strong. Second round, I ordered a margarita and he did the old fashion. Still Great. He was about to order apps and the server was extremely rude to him when he was not ready to order, she said "obviously your not ready" and she batted her disgustingly long eyelashes and walked off. Third round is when the ridiculousness began. I thoroughly enjoy Sangrias. I mean, I traveled all over the world and had Sangrias starting at the birthplace of it all. I do enjoy a Sangria to be made from scratch and not premade (non tradional and I am well aware of it). Wine, brandy, O.J (any other citrus) top with seltzer. I asked our server if they can make it from scratch and she asked the bartender and said no. I asked why and she said that "they did not have the ingredients". I said they have wine, brandy and O.J, how can you say you don’t have the ingredients. She looked at me blankly, as if her brain was placed on pause. She said “well the bartender said we don’t have those ingredients”. I explained that we are actively looking at all those ingredients I mentioned and again she said “we do not have them”. This is when the frustration started. It stemmed from her not thinking clearly. She walked away and then I was about to just order the drink from the bartender. As she seen me walk to the bar, I watched her mouth to the bartender “tell her no”. Now this is when it gets really terrible (at this point I no longer wanted the drink but I was perplexed of the cluelessness and lack of hospitality). I asked the bartender if he had the aforementioned ingredients and he proceeded to tell me, in a robot fashion that “it is company policy to (the rest was just jibberish and he was tuned out). I asked if you can make cocktails outside what the menu has to offer and he responded “yes”. I bartend. I get it. This will be a different price point perhaps?? I am a paying customer that is more than wiling to pay for what I want. I could not fathom why wine , brandy, OJ could not be put in a cup, shaked and served to me. I wanted to talk to the manager (this is not my norm ever). Manager came over and she listened, less than empathetically. She constantly shook her head in fake agreement. I expressed that I did not want the drink at this point and my dining experience was ruined BUT I really wanted to know the actual issue with making the drink. She explained more jibberish but ultimately explained that the drink could be made and the server “did not understand what I was asking for”. My conclusion of this horrific scene of a mixture of poor training, poor customer service, robot service and a server and bartender that was unable to use a mid level of thinking. I was disgusted how I was treated. Please don’t undermine me and tell me that you don’t have the ingredients when clearly you do. Signed, The only black customers on this fine Sunday evening

I had passed by this place in Old City when walking around with my boyfriend. One day, while waiting for him to get off work, I went inside by myself (weather outside was too hot to enjoy tbh) with the intentions of drinking alone. I was seated at a table...but decided to move to the bar because the decor is so captivating. The vibes inside were very inviting and fun due to the colours, lights, and busy-looking decorations. At first I wanted a margarita because why go to a Mexican place and not order a margarita BUT for economically purposes, I ordered a Strawberry Shandy pitcher (36 oz.) - strawberry tequila, wheat beer, lemonade, and orange agave nectar. A glass of margarita was $9 and a pitcher of margarita was $27. A pitcher of Strawberry Shandy was $15. I thought that was more worth it. So my bartender was really nice and seemed to enjoy her job a lot. She tests all the drinks she makes with a straw. She also said Strawberry Shandy was her favourite. So the pitcher was filled to the brim with ice (hate that but I understand also great thing because I would have been too turnt). There wasn't a strong alcohol or sweet flavour. It was pretty neutral while still being nice to drink. I got a little chilly with the AC on, so I moved outside for my last glass as 2 hours or so had already passed by. It was so hot out that day. Another waiter gave me a glass of water without me asking. Girl bartender was definitely nicer than the guys there. She was more lively while the others just did their job. Other things I wanna mention: menus were pretty and well-designed, furniture was nice, outdoor seating area is so cool kind of like a patio/deck type thing, but the metal seats and tables got too hot for me to rest my arms on.

Gluten free items marked on the menu! And it tasted good. Also corn tacos. Also cider on draft. Very busy so go early or late

Surprised to get great service, well poured drinks, and delicious food during Happy Hour. Priced accordingly and served with a smile. The decor is very particular, and the music was not distracting. Margaritas were not the usual watered down you'd get elsewhere, guacamole was fresh and the chorizo sliders tasty and fulfilling. Highly recommended.

Nice for a lunch before our meeting. Food was good- great fresh guacamole and pico de gallo. We had fish tacos and chichen enchiladas- both were excellent. Nice waitresses- friendly and fast with drink refills. I recommend and would come back for dinner any time. Very pleasant place. We sat on patio out front- only complaint was that trucks were idling and we smelled exhaust. Maybe if you go, sit inside.

While enroute to another restaurant on Chestnut St., we saw that this place had many diners so decided to give it a try and we were so happy we did. Started with fresh guac and nachos, which were great! My friend had mussels which she really enjoyed, I had Sangria and sweet potato tacos in a soft shell, which were excellent! Fair prices, excellent service, can't wait to go back!

Above average Mexican food, we just appetizers and drinks. The scallop ceviche with jalapenos was very good and the nachos with chicken were very good also even though it did not come with jalapenos. They drinks are different and the beers are cold. I think they have 25 different taquelos to choose from

I was visiting Philadelphia and stopped in Lucha Cartel for dinner. We are from Oklahoma and were hungry for some good Tex-Mex food. Well, this isn't Tex-Mex. The only thing we could find close was a quesadilla with portabello mushrooms. It wasn't close to what we are used to but it was very tasty.

They have a wide varieties of margaritas “not the multi-color slushy/icee kind” but more of a mixed drink. The food as very good, their take on the chicken and waffles (they used corn pancakes).

We ate here on a Saturday night. It was fairly crowded but we got in around 8:30 without a reservation and only waited 5 minutes for a table. Service was excellent and food was really tasty. My only complaint is that it is really noisy in the restaurant and it made it difficult to talk. I would definitely return but urge the restaurant to turn down the noise level in terms of the volume of the music as it is a combination of acoustics and people talking with loud music. The guacamole was amazing as were the fajitas and shrimp dish. Definitely authentic wonderful flavors on the food with interesting presentation. Just tune down the sound a little until the dancing starts.

A few meters from our hotel, Independence Park Hotel BW, in Chestnut street, a friendly taqueria with its varied taco menus (including al pastor) and a beautiful assortment of Mexican beers including Negra Modelo... Big screen to watch Phillies games...

Themed after the world of Mexican wrestling, the restaurant has outside and inside seating. The staff were very attentive and friendly. The menu included all of the dishes you would expect at a Mexican restaurant, and also a nice assortment of salads, sandwiches and burgers. The serving portions were very generous (I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing). A great venue for lunch.

My family and I ate here, not sure of what to expect. The décor is pretty dark and the music is a little louder than I expected, but the kids loved it. They moved with the music as they ate their huge pile of nachos. The service was great! And, the food presentation was awesome!

Here everything is exciting except for food. The place is great, drinks are perfect, nachos over expectations but food it's a no. Nothing Mexican is served here out of appetizer. It's a pity, cos at the very beginning I was in love with the place!

Yummy margaritas! Try the Coco-rita! Tacos were great- fresh ingredients. And the chicken enchiladas were served piping hot- huge portion! The wait staff was super friendly and helpful. Great happy hour deals as well

We went over for a quick meal. The restaurant was very loud and not that crowded. Our waiter was very good, but the meal I had was fair and I love Mexican food. The quality was not great. After dining I felt the restaurant was more of a place to drink and snack, but not a place to enjoy a good meal.

Typical mexican restaurant. we have the parrillada. enjoy an appetizer before. Lot of Tequila and Margaritas to select. Excellent service

A quirky bar with tasty Mexican food. We weren't too hungry but managed to polish off fresh guacamole and chips, empanadas filled with mushrooms and stringy cheese and soft tacos el pastor. The stand out dish for me was the elotes, roasted corn on the cob with cheese. Service was quick and polite. Decor is unusual to say the least with a picture made from individual skateboards dominating the room. Each skateboard has a Luchador pictured and all are arranged to look like the Last Supper. Even the wallpaper has Luchadors embossed in the paper! Worth a visit.

If you ever come to this side of Philadelphia you must come and have the pork belly pastor tacos!!! this is a treat you can not miss, the ambiance is excellent and the decor is really cool!!!

My wife, daughter and I walked by a couple of times and decided to give Lucha Cartel a shot. All three of us were more than satisfied with our food and service. We had mushroom empanadas (great), pork tacos, ceviche, tortilla soup and street corn. Would eat any of them again. The pineapple jalapeño margarita was liked by my daughter. I had beer. Prices were more than reasonable. All in all, a great dinner.

The food was okay in my opinion. I've honestly had better mexican inspired food. There were some flavors missing for me. I had a pork taco that had pineapples in it. The meat was cooked nicely and the pineapple was yummy. There was just something missing for me. Also there was a group of people who were very obnoxious and basically screaming. Some other customer complained about them. Overall, I'm not so sure I'd return.

What a wonderful experience. It is a popular place but service was excellent. We ordered salads and they were the best! Everything fresh. And did I mention the margaritas.

The margaritas are top notch and the sweet potato tacos are fantastic! The desserts are amazing also. There were vegan/vegetarian items which usually don't exist at a lot of Mexican restaurants. I have been there twice and both times were excellent. I would give 5 stars except that both of the wait staff I have had have been neutral, unhelpful, cold, as though they had no time for us, and the service was painstakingly slow both times. It is not packed during Happy Hour. There were 2 full tables and a few people at the bar. The food is great but the wait staff is less than mediocre.

Went made a reservation for dinner and we were seated right away. We ordered the sangria and jalapeño pineapple margarita and both were delicious (the margarita was spicy). We ordered the chicken empanadas as an appetizer and they were just okay. The chicken inside was great, but the shell itself was just alright. We ordered the carnitas and wahoo fish tacos for our entrees. I can’t say enough about how delicious they were! They were truly authentic. For dessert, we got the fried gelato. It tasted more like just regular vanilla ice cream, but it was really good. Would definitely recommend this restaurant!

Blue demon margaritas are amazing. The nachos are worth the splurge! Good happy hour choices and with beer off, you can get some of the lowest beer prices in the city.

Stopped in for happy hour and also scored some good food for dinner. The pork taco with spicy tomatillo sauce and chorizo sliders were both excellent. Guacamole and margaritas were solid. Fish tacos were also tasty. Service was low-key and the decor of the place is really cool. Would definitely return.

This is a great little find! My uber driver made the recommendation and it was well worth the stop! I had ceviche and the pulled por tacos plus a wonderful infused mojito The service is superb! And the atmosphere supports staying around for a few drinks

We enjoyed a great meal here. Outstanding guacamole and chips. Save room for the cheesecake dessert - worth every calorie! Friendly, attentive service. Noise level is high - but a very lively, fun spot on a Saturday night.

A co-worker, my daughter and I visited while at a conference in Philadelphia for two weeks. I went to the restaurant twice in one week. The first visit I had the Camerones Al Mezcal (sautéed shrimp flambéed with mezcal glazed with coconut mango sauce and sweet plantains. I thought the dish was good but I didn't like that the sweet plantains were not separate but was the base layer. The plantains by themselves were delicious and so was everything else. I just didn't like them together. My daughter had the vegetarian quesadillas and she liked them so much that she told my sister about the restaurant and we went back a few days later. My second visit was even better then the first. We started with the guacamole again and it was very good. So good we ordered another. We got blessed because we came during Happy hour and got the house margaritas for $5 and the guacamole and chips were just $5 (normally they are $10). The drinks were very good. My sister had the chicken enchiladas, I had the pescado veracruzado which was delicious and my daughter reordered the vegetarian quesadillas. Although I was not impressed by the rice, everything else was great.

This restaurant was good with a decent menu but the food was not extraordinary although it was good. I had the fish tacos and my friend had the quesadillas and the sangria was good but strong. Pleasant experience but I have no burning desire to go again any time soon. A bit of a noisy atmosphere.

Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday. They have brunch until 3:30pm, we just missed it. The place is decorated like the day of the dead with a mix of Mexican wrestler thrown in. We were served chips and salsa first. Chips were warm and good. Salsa was more a thick tomato sauce with a kick. Next we had chicken tortilla soup. Like none I've had before, but interesting and good. Next were pork belly tacos. Yummy. Hubby had the chorizo burger which he enjoyed. Prices seemed a bit higher than usual for the dive like atmosphere. Our server, though nice, was not very attentive. We had to ask others for refills and more napkins. Seems happy hour is great. Lots of interesting drinks and $5 food choices. 4-7pm, M-F.

Walking up to the door I knew this place was going to be good. Mexican wrestlers on the walls and amazing tacos. No need to say more. Eat here!

Loved this place! Food was authentic and the staff was kind and friendly! Loved this place. Every place we visit we try a Mexican restaurant and this one can top our list- the tortillas were fresh and the tacos for happy hours were delicious. Thank you Philadelphia

We are from Philadelphia and wanted some good Mexican cuisine. This restaurant definitely didn't disappoint. We had dinner with our three children. The menu was diverse enough for all the kids to find something they liked. The decor was fun and artsy with a Mexican wrestler art theme. We started with some nacho's (chicken) and the shrimp empanada's. Both were really really good. The kids kept commenting on the great flavor of the empanada's. We had enchilada's de pollo and vegetarian tamale's. Excellent. Finished off with chocolate lava cake and flan. We will definitely come back again. It was a nice atmosphere and there was a lot of room. With a family of five it's hard sometimes to get a nice big table in the City. We didn't feel crowded (I like that).

When I travel in USA I enjoy looking for restaurants that are interesting (quirky) and Lucha Cartel is just that. I had dinner at an outside table and enjoyed the buzz of the passing pedestrians while receiving attentive service from the staff. I had to interrogate the wait staff about the menu but settled on 4 small plates and a great bottle of Santa Rita 120 Sav Blanc. Great dinner and dining experience. I visited on 25 Oct!

Would definitely go back. The food was not too expensive, but great quality. Drinks are also tasty. Great quality all around.

Terrific Mexican cantina with authentic cuisine, generous drinks, festive ambiance with striking indigenous art & friendly service. In the early evening crowds of locals gather for happy hour - inside & out at tables under umbrellas on the sidewalk - featuring $5 cocktails & appetizers. Salsa Socials - with dance instructions - are held each Tuesday night.

Very good authentic food, in an indoor/outdoor setting in Old City. Servers are efficient and pleasant and the prices are reasonable. Good selection for brunch.

My husband and I went here for dinner and surprisingly they were pretty full given that it was Monday. The food was okay. I liked that the chips were the thick kind that more approximate what you might find in Mexico. The décor and atmosphere was good. The service was excellent.

Enjoyed our time at Lucha Cartel! We opted to sit inside, although sitting outside would have been nice, too. Do that if the weather is good. We started with two appetizers: the fresh guacamole with chips and the queso fundido. The guac was fresh and spicy and the queso was good too, though a bit rich for my taste. Others enjoyed it more than I did. I ordered the carne asada tacos, which came four on a plates. They were good, but the beef should be cooked quite a bit less. It was too dry for my taste and the sauce, while good, didn't help the dryness of the meat. Another diner had the pork-belly tacos. That was absolutely outstanding! What's not too like about the most fatness of pork?! Delicious! The other diner had the wahoo tacos and that, too, was very good. Finally, for dessert, we opted for an order of churros with mango ice cream and pastelilla da nata. The churros were very crispy and good, but the pastelilla da nata was so darn good!! My sangria was excellent and the margaritas were good, as I was told. The place is decorated in a Day of the Dead theme and has lots of interesting handmade art. The service was very good, attentive, and food came quickly. For those that have never been to Mexico, you need to ask for your check there so that you don't feel staff is pushing you out the door. It's the same here. When you want your check, just ask! All in all, a very good dinner!

Nice motif of Mexican wrestling. The Guacamole was good, the Chicken Empanadas very good, the Mole Chicken below average plus it was returned for being raw (story of Soud Vide and 7 hour cooking which is hard to believe) and Vegetarian Enchiladas were okay but light on filling. Wine list was limited. Nailah was our server and was average; started off well then disappeared.

We really enjoyed this place on a Friday night in Old Town. Made a reservation a couple of days in advance, were seated right on time. Guacamole (with roasted corn — a nice touch) was perfect — just the right amount of spicy for me. The fajitas (I had steak, my husband had chicken) were delicious and cooked perfectly. They came with the cutest little wraps. We also shared two pitchers of the best sangria I've ever had — enough for 4 glasses each. Fun decor, nice service, a very enjoyable experience.

Great food, great drinks and great service! We were a party of 6, made up of 3 couples and had a reservation. They had our table ready for us when we walked in and quickly accommodated our request to sit outside on the patio since the weather was good. Loved the Mezcal Margarita! Everyone in our group enjoyed it!

Thursday night, arrived 9:15pm, was advise kitchen closes at 9:45pm. Rapidly looked into the menu and ordered Queso Fundido (great), sea bass cecivhe (overly spicy and barely had fish on it), pork tacos were great and chips and guacamole was a disappointment, Guaca didn’t taste right. Order the biggest size margarita (pineapple) was ok… Server disappeared after delivered our drink. Around 9:50pm he came and dropped the check when we’ve told him About guaca and asked for water refill. NEVER got the water refill and then he showed up more often to make sure I’ve dropped my card/cash… Asked again for water before proceed with payment. My wife had to go to the bar to ask for a water pitcher. Bartender was super nice. Cool vibe, they’re hosting batacha night. But service wasn’t great.

Keep in mind we came here on Wednesday at 4pm so it was pretty empty (and quiet). The server was attentive and prompt. Nothing outstanding, but good. However, the food was excellent even compared to some stellar high-end Mexican food in NYC. We had the fresh Guacamole with roasted corn and Queso Fresco. It was fresh, tasty and chips were excellent. I would prefer a bit more spice, but overall well done. Then we had the chicken empanada. 2 fairly large ones with an excellent crispy crust and chicken was tasty inside. It was not as moist as others we've had but still very good. My entrée was the Crispy Wahoo Fish which was just about right with spicy slaw. Again very good. The Mexican Corn is must have and their Main Event Margarita was one of the best! Overall, this is falls just under 4 stars as atmosphere is nothing special and booths are very uncomfortable (table to far apart from booth). It ain't Toloache good, but it is a great casual, less expensive quality alternative that will have us coming back.

the food, the ambiance, the music, the service, all amazing!!!!! do not forget to order a Paloma!!! out of this world!!! and Sunday's is fiesta night!!!!!

on the way to a movie, happened on this restaurant for a "bite" .dinner was delicious...tortilla soup, taco's and sopa....all good and ended with a delicious flan....good service, friendly and we didnt have reservations...

We were staying nearby. We sat outside (Covid) and looked at online menus. The food was tasty and I enjoyed a strawberry margarita. It was good value and we almost went back.

Had a late(r) arrival into philly and wandered to try and find a local restaurant. Stumbled upon this. It wasn't recommended by our front desk, by figured "hey why not!" ID'd at the front door. (This was after 10pm) got a table. It was crowded! Good music, loud and pretty dark inside. dance floor opened up... they had good drinks, reasonably priced. Portions are on the smaller side, but tasty!

A big group of family and friends (13 of us) ate at Lucha Cartel one recent Thursday night and, amazingly, everyone loved what they had. The menu is Mexican with a twist - delicious variations on familiar Tex-Mex favorites as well as lots of dishes that transcend expectations. The staff is very friendly and capable.

This restaurant is reminiscent of Distrito, with the wrestling masks and day of the dead art on a budget scale. However, it is a nice space with a good vibe. We stopped by for a quick bite before going to the movies at the Ritz and we were pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The pork belly tacos were by far the best thing we tried, and I would consider returning just for those. Everything else was well presented and tasty. The service was prompt and attentive. Overall a very satisfactory experience. We will definitely stop by again in the future.

Hip place, nice location, trendy and friendly . The food was excellent. With a relaxed atmosphere and great service it's no surprise that many pitchers went down rather quickly. The tacos and the fajitas were outstanding

Great place for happy hour. Was there 3 times on a recent visit to Philadelphia. Located right down the street from our hotel. Good service, great of happy hour prices on food and drink.

I wanted to leave after waiting over a half hour for a waiter/waitress to come to the table after being seated, but my daughter insisted on going to ask someone to come take our drink order. Was not that crowded at the time. Sangria was good (with brandy and Cointreau). Food was good as well except that i wanted to try several different types of tacos as samplers, but the computerized menu and the iPads the waitress carried would not allow that. Was willing to pay the top price, but alas, no dice. Overall, not impressed with the service, but the food itself was OK.