Ok, this post is quite late but we figured better late than never, especially when the restaurant is a MUST-GO. So here it is…

For cinco de mayo, we, along with Siddharth’s parents, ventured into the busy city of Philadelphia for a Mexican brunch to celebrate the holiday. El Rey is another Stephen Starr restaurants (Check out our other reviews of El Vez and Continental Midtown) and we must admit, this is probably the best one we’ve to (high praise!).

We didn’t have a reservation, but at 12:30 we were seated immediately, just before the brunch crowd was coming in. Like most Starr restaurants, this restaurant was decorated in a very unique and modern style to appeal the young crowd of Chestnut Street. The decor was certainly well-thought out, with deco lamps and old Mexican movie posters plastered on the wall.

Once we sat down, our server introduced us to to their extensive drink and food menu and suggested that for our party of four, it would be best to order a few plates and share (tapas are en vogue!). For the holiday, El Rey had a special brunch menu with traditional omelets topped with chorizo or black beans and sopes (fried masa) with a poached egg, beans, chipotle salsa and skirt steak. Or if you weren’t in the mood for traditional brunch food, you could share one large platter of nachos with the table. We ordered the traditional nachos that was topped with chorizo, pickled jalapenos, beans, and chihuahua cheese. This dish was such a hit that we ordered another one shortly after finishing (amazing actually – look at the size of that plate below!). We also ordered the zucchini blossom and corn quesadilla to share.

Siddharth’s mom ordered the french toast off of the cinco de mayo special brunch menu. Accompanying the french toast were candied fruits along with fresh strawberries and an agave syrup.

I ordered the pork tacos with both salsa verde and salsa roja. I received 4 individual mini tacos, each topped with a thick slice of avocado, crema, and queso fresca. The pork definitely was slow cooked for a few hours, and it was drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce. The corn tortillas that the meat sat on were freshly made and held together impressive considering how much filling rested on top.

Siddharth ordered the skirt steak chilaquiles, a traditional Mexican dish with tortillas soaked in salsa verde, covered with layers of chihuahua cheese, and topped off with some sliced skirt steak. The skirt steak was tender, flavorful, and cooked to medium-rare exactly as ordered.

Siddharth’s dad really enjoyed the nachos, and was thinking he was too full to order a full meal. Likely, he was the most sensible, because we were all stuffed after the appetizers. He did choose to get two tacos a la carte (pictured at the top of the post) – one with carnitas and one with chorizo. These were incredible. We all took a bite at his urging, and I think that we wouldn’t mind going back and ordering ONLY tacos in the future. There’s something amazing about well-seasoned and cooked meat on a wonderfully fresh tortilla!

We ordered one side item to share between us, another brunch special: papa rojas. These were fried potatoes in a spicy red sauce. The potatoes were cooked al dente, and this is sort of unusual.

We had a great meal at El Rey. We were so pleased (and stuffed) after this meal, and we would definitely visit again!

Taste:

Tricia: 9/10 (excellent)

The nachos were fantastic and there were hidden carrots to give a soft crunch in comparison to the freshly fried tortilla chips. French toast was also another hit at the table. The toast was perfectly fried and the accompaniments were excellent complements. Throughout the meal, it was apparent that El Rey does a great job with their salsa and their tortillas, which are certainly fresh made.

Siddharth: 9/10 (excellent)

Starting out with the nachos gave an indication of how good El Rey would be. The chips were fresh and delicious, the meat was excellent and served in heaping amounts, and the cheeses were all very tasty. All of the dishes were excellent (we all sampled each others). The zucchini blossom quesadillas were crispy on the outside, and filled with wonderful cheese and fresh sweet blossoms. All meats were great, but the tortillas were out of this world. Quite possibly the best I’ve ever had: they were hot, fresh, soft, and flavorful. As Trish said, the tacos alone make El Rey and excellent Philly spot.

Selection:

Tricia: 9/10 (excellent)

I haven’t been to a lot of Mexican restaurants, but I found El Rey had a lot to offer outside of simple nachos and burritos. You will find multiple soups, sopes and ceviche! And that’s just for lunch!

Siddharth: 8/10 (great)

The lunch menu on its own is not extensive in pure size, but the number of unique choices makes the selection very good. For cinco de Mayo, the brunch specials provided us with even more options. Again, if they removed everything but tacos from their menu, I’d still be able to go many many times. So while the menu isn’t of Cheesecake Factory proportions, the selection is interesting and well put together. And El Rey is a fairly vegetarian friendly place (my mom, a vegetarian, really liked her French toast and the zucchini quesadilla, and she had to mull the menu before choosing).

Ambiance:Type: Casual cool

Tricia: 8/10 (great)

For cinco de mayo, we had a mariachi band playing so it was quite loud. But this restaurant is situated in the heart of the city, giving it a very young vibe.

Siddharth: 7/10 (good)

It’s a little dark inside El Rey. But the attention to decor that is characteristic of each Stephen Starr place is easily evident. It was cool and relatively quiet inside, which can be tough to achieve at a good place on Chestnut.

Service:

Tricia: 8/10 (great)

Our waiter was knowledgeable and very attentive with us. When we ordered a second helping of nachos, it came out within minutes!

Siddharth: 8/10 (great)

Items came fast. The server knew the menu in and out. He was comfortable making suggestions, and he showed up frequently to check on us. There’s not much more you could ask for from a Saturday brunch.

Price: $$ (average)

Tricia:

Prices are outstanding for this quality of food. We were expecting smaller portions, but were pleasantly surprised.

Siddharth:

I was stunned at how affordable El Rey was. Stephen Starr places are notorious for being expensive and giving small portions. Not at all the case here! The value was off the charts. With drinks (non-alcoholic), 3 appetizers, 3 full plates, and 2 individual tacos, we still spent <$100 including a good tip and tax. That’s great value for food of this quality.

Recommendation Index: 10/10 (MUST go!)

Overall, El Rey surprised us in many ways. Portions, price, and ambiance were better than expected. The food was outstanding. In comparing El Rey to El Vez (just because they are both Mexican Starr places), we must say El Rey is better than El Vez almost across the board (and we REALLY liked El Vez). While both are good, El Rey’s menu appears to be more authentic and unique compared to El Vez. However, if you are a guacamole fan, El Vez might fit your style more due to their extensive selection. In the end, no need to compare: you should try BOTH! Definitely a MUST GO for Philly as I stated earlier!