Tacos El Rodeo

(food truck)
1000 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(267) 997-3415
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Always on the lookout for top notch Mexican, I had seen/heard about the Tacos El Rodeo, and it got rave reviews, so I figured it was worth a try. My consensus, however, is that it needs to try harder. There were a surprising number of walk-up patrons at 5 PM on a Saturday, including a cook from Paesano's. He said it was hands down the best in the city. I immediately regretted ordering only three tacos and a burrito.

It had potential, with a spit of al pastor, and friendly folks working inside. Not to mention the sweet-ass mural covering the truck itself. A real beaut.

I took my offerings to Garage, which not only boasts a rotating food cart inside, but allows all outside food as well. I was excited for the fiesta about to transpire on my taste buds, but was left with a flavor siesta instead.

The burrito was well wrapped, the lard-infused tortilla looked so very promising – glistening in the setting sunlight, I could almost taste the fatty flavor. The inside had a sufficient amount of al pastor, but everything else must have gotten run out of flavor town.

The al pastor was chewy and mostly gristle; the rest of the components were just bland and kind of mushy. I wondered if they had run out of salt. The rice was missing that 'cooked with bouillon' flavor. Even the hot sauce had little to no spice, and was a watered down version of the traditional Mexican sauces I know and love. That tortilla was pretty much the most flavorful item.

The chicken tacos were equally as underwhelming. Sure, they were a deal at $2 a pop, but having eaten hundreds of street tacos (I spent my drinking years out west), these were just so boring. The avocado was a nice touch, but I couldn't get any bit excited about these. The chicken pieces were also without any noticeable flavor and again, the tortillas may have been the stand-out flavor. So disappointing.

I mean, when you're slingin' your wares in the hotbed of Mexican restaurants, you can't perform so lazily with seasonings. The people working were VERY nice, but my itch was not scratched. Maybe I caught them on an off day, or maybe I have become spoiled with my go-to spots around the city. I'll stick to my favorites for now...

El Jarocho

1138 South 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 463-2020

El Jarocho is one of the places in the city that you don't want people to know about. The dining room is VERY small, and it could quickly become a place at which you have to wait in line to get a table. While everyone else is raving about Veracruzana (which used to be much better than it is in its current form), you can just nod and head over to El Jarocho, taking pleasure in what is certainly among the ranks of Los Gallos and Los Jalapenos, members of the South Philly Mexican food elite, without waiting. You might have seen this place before, it's hard to miss with its various neon lights shining brightly on a nondescript corner just south of Washington.

The menu is similar to most authentic Mexican places around the city. Nothing too crazy, but what they do, they do well. One thing that I like, is that they offer Cemitas, as well as Tortas. Cemita is Torta's smaller, seeded cousin, hailing from the Puebla region of Mexico. Another thing I really, really like here, in fact one of the things that sets this place apart from the competition, is the crema dip they give you with chips while you are waiting. Slightly spicy while smooth and creamy, this stuff is scary good, and unlike what you will find most anywhere else. Homemade chips make for a perfect vessel with which to fill up before you even get to your food.

Although I still think Los Gallos reigns supreme on the sandwich (and Al Pastor) front, El Jarocho does a pretty good job as well.

The sandwich is packed with tender Al Pastor, queso, ham, avocado, lettuce, and chipotle sauce. Mine came with some sort of micro green, seen on the very bottom, which actually had an overpowering herbal flavor, but that was rectified by simply pulling it off. That aside, the Cemita is a pretty tasty rendition.

The enchiladas platter, however, was the real standout. Choice of protein (went with chicken) and a bed of rice between each of these tasty specialties. One rojo (red), one verde (green), and one mole (heaven) lined up in a row, this dish offers three very different comforting flavors. Mole is a good judge of the authenticity and execution of the kitchen, and this complex chili and chocolate based sauce was quite delicious. Not the best I have ever had, but a very solid flavor overall.

The enchiladas are one of my favorites on the menu, and coupled with the killer crema, it's not a place to miss in the hunt for the best south-of-the-border food in Philadelphia.

Los Gallos

951 Wolf Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 551-1245

I have heard the buzz about Los Gallos, but I hadn't happened upon an opportunity to stray too far from my local Mexican fix, Los Jalapeno's. Last weekend, I decided "enough is enough," and I made time for some lunchtime Mexican food, outside of the comfort of my own neighborhood. Good choice, if I do say so myself.

Although it isn't much to look at (I would be wary if it was), there is a small clean Mexican grocery store, and towards the rear, a counter at which to order. The owner is very friendly, and passionate about his food. It is kind of expensive for a Mexican spot in South Philly, but the price is worth the freshness and quality of ingredients. The chips and pico were above and beyond what I had expected. The salsa is light, fresh, loaded with citrus, and packed with avocado chunks. I was certainly glad I opted for this over the guacamole, as it was the best of both worlds. At $6, it was a bit pricey, but well worth it for the freshness of the dip.


I had to order a torta because I love a good sandwich (and they don't have burritos), and the Cubano was calling my name. For some reason, the red and green salsa's are served with the tortas but not the tacos. Either way, the salsas were spectacular. The green salsa reminded me of the avocado based sauce that every taco stand on the Baja serves with their fare. Delicious. The red was more of the smokey, spicy sauce that you would expect from a Mexican place.

The Cubano comes wrapped in wax paper, which is awfully helpful when trying to keep this beast of a sandwich together.


It was kind of expensive at $9. However for your money, it came packed with breaded fried beef, shredded pork, ham, refried beans, avocado, onions, creamy Mexican queso, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and mayo. This sandwich is huge, even by my standards.


The bread on it is delicious. Light, crusty and exactly what is called for when assembling a torta of this caliber. It was perfectly put together, and all of the ingredients married in perfect harmony. Definitely the best torta I have had in Philadelphia. Which leads me to the al pastor tacos. At $6.50 (with queso) they were a great deal. Stuffed to the max, they contained perfectly smokey spicy pork, large chunks of fresh pineapple, chopped onion and cilantro. Garnished with radish, grilled jalapeno and lime wedges, these were some serious tacos. The tortillas were fresh, grilled and perfect, while the ingredients came together better than any other pastor tacos I have tasted South of Washington. Seriously. This place has it going on. For the time being (burritos aside), this is my favorite Mexican place in Philly. A tall order, to be sure, but one that Los Gallos fills quite nicely.