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El Rey - Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

El Rey - Philadelphia

4.7
4.7
615 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 29 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for groups
  • Great for happy hour
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
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • 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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What 615 people are saying

El Rey - Philadelphia reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Philadelphia County

    Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Rey in Philadelphia is a vibrant spot with "amazing character," offering a delightful mix of "great food, drinks, ambiance, and service." It's known for its "excellent happy hour" and "friendly staff," making it perfect for gatherings. Standout dishes include "short rib enchiladas" and "chicken tacos," complemented by "delicious margaritas."

615 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Philadelphia9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was fantastic. Phenomenal service. Great atmosphere. Great meal

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  2. Reid

    Philadelphia2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 6, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The happy hour menu costs as much for tacos as the regular menu and the tacos on the happy hour menu are worse quality, smaller and don’t have any toppings. It’s a rip off.

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  3. Amy VIP

    Philadelphia46 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Was able to get in on a Friday night for a last minute dinner idea. The tacos are amazing, as well as the margarita's. The chicken burrito is one of my daughter's favorites!

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  4. tamika

    Philadelphia22 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on February 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Nice restaurant. The frozen margarita was good but $46 was a little pricey. The happy hr specials are pretty good especially for the margaritas.

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  5. Sally VIP

    Philadelphia8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My husband and I had a guest visiting from out of town and wanted to find a place with a cool vibe and yummy food. El Vez was just the place! We all loved the upbeat party atmosphere, retro diner decor and especially the terrific food. The mahi mahi tacos, tuna tostadas, guac and chips and chicken enchiladas were outstanding as were our potent margaritas. Our server was attentive and friendly. Heading back to El Vez soon without a question!

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  6. Kellie

    Philadelphia13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    El Rey is a very lovely place. I look forward on going back. The food was amazing.

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  7. Patricia VIP

    Philadelphia1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is one of our go to Mexican restaurants that is consistently good with professional service likely due to the Starr affiliation. The classic margarita was perfect and the smoky sauce on the quesadillas was heavenly. I’m a huge fan of their raw tuna appetizer, too.

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  8. Carol

    Philadelphia6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed our experience at el Rey. Glad I got to add another Starr restaurant to my list of restaurants to visit in Philly.

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  9. Peter VIP

    New York City4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Awesome food in what appears to be a vintage diner. Fun & Very loud but totally worth it .

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  10. KATHLEEN VIP

    Philadelphia21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our first visit and we will be back . Served was so friendly and knowledgeable. She made our dining experience just perfect. Nachos and margaritas excellent plus guacamole. My dishes were made gluten free and they were delicious.

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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 615 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.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 29 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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