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El Rey - Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

El Rey - Philadelphia

4.7
4.7
594 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican
A photo of El Rey - Philadelphia restaurant

El Rey - Philadelphia

4.7
$30 and under
Mexican
Center City

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 27 times today
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for happy hour
  • Lively
Inspired by the cuisines of Puebla and Veracruz, El Rey captures the essence of Mexican home cooking. Boisterous and broken-in like a laidback roadside cantina, the dining room hums from midday to late-night. Folk art, kitchsy found objects and vintage movie posters adorn the walls, providing plenty of visual stimuli for eaters digging into authentic tacos, tortas, enchiladas, sopes and more. Add a bar stocked with the best tequilas, mezcals and cervezas and you’ve got a cantina fit for a king.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (215) 563-3330
  • Website
    https://elreyrestaurant.com/
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Location
    2013 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
  • Neighborhood
    Center City
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

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Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 594 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Philadelphia County

    Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Rey in Philadelphia offers a lively atmosphere with "great food, drinks, ambiance, and service" at attractive prices. Patrons praise the "amazing staff" for their friendliness and attentiveness. A standout happy hour complements the authentic Mexican fare. While noise levels can be high, the vibrant energy makes dining here a memorable experience.

594 Reviews

  1. Robert

    Philadelphia

    9 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Bad service, bland food. Inconsistent experience. There is better Mexican at Starr restaurants. Management was nonexistent.

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  2. BRIAN

    Philadelphia

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great restaurant and reasonable prices. Loved the nachos, tacos and burritos! Smaller than the other Stephen Starr Mexican restaurant El Vez, making for a unique experience.

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  3. Lauren

    Aguascalientes

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely staff and the food is really good. Happy Hour is great here but service is a little slow. Not a big deal if you’re not in a rush.

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  4. Alanna

    Philadelphia

    24 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food in a really fun environment that comes out really fast.

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  5. Andy

    Philadelphia

    87 reviews

    4.0

    87 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Like all Stephen Starr restaurants, El Rey is well run and carefully thought out in terms of a theme and fulfilling that theme. While the food can be a bit pricey, it's always well prepared. The guacamole was especially good. The service was professional and the overall vibe was fun.

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  6. Michael

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great frozen margarita (blood orange was in season).

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  7. Riley

    New York City

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and great service. Amazing for those with Celiac or a gluten free lifestyle. Nearly everything is or can be made gluten free. Corn tortillas made in house, which sets them a world apart from others. Gf grilled mahi tacos were awesome, vegetarian tacos were too. They had zero issue modifying food for our kids’ preferences. Drinks were awesome too, the Paloma was refreshing and balanced and the Oaxaca Old Fashioned was a spirit forward mouth of spice. My spouse really liked the mango margarita and the vegetarian options.

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  8. Hillary

    Philadelphia

    108 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    108 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very good dinner with my daughter. Took advantage of happy hour tacos and margarita offer. Very good food, service, and atmosphere and very reasonably priced. I will surely return!

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  9. Jeff

    Philadelphia

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service as always. Delicious food

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  10. David

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. But wow, can't even hear myself think! How about doing something so the sound doesn't bounce all over the place?

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FAQs

El Rey - Philadelphia offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. El Rey - Philadelphia also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (215) 563-3330.

El Rey - Philadelphia is rated 4.7 stars by 594 OpenTable diners.

El Rey - Philadelphia does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

A photo of El Rey - Philadelphia restaurant

El Rey - Philadelphia

4.7
$30 and under
Mexican
Center City

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 27 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for El Rey - Philadelphia

2013 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Center City
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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