Restaurant Taqueria El Jarocho

Excellent authentic Mexican food! They have a very extensive menu but my go-to is the al pastor burrito which is huge and perfectly seasoned. I can never finish it in one sitting. Also love the chips with their homemade sauces. The restaurant itself is quite small and no frills, but the food is delicious and comes out quickly.

Hands down best AUTHENTIC Mexican food in the city. They are friendly, offer high quality food. They always get my orders right despite a bit of a language barrier! They are family owned and I love supporting them anytime I have a craving for tacos or enchiladas. Just note - They do use a lot of spices so their food is seasoned to perfection. (Here’s a photo of the tacos, my video wouldn’t upload)

I love this place, The tacos are to die for literally!! Everything is cooked perfectly, and the ingredients are fresh. I recommend basically everything from the menu. Also, the main waitress is a sweetheart.

Went in hoping for a burrito after glancing at some reviews but found none on the menu. It is mostly sandwiches, cemitas and platters. After ordering mixed fajitas I was delivered two ramekins, one of salsa, the other of queso (?), and a small basket of chips. The salsa had some spice to it but wasn't too much to handle. The queso was good though it reminded me more of a spicy mayo. The chips had a nice thickness and were very crunchy. The mixed fajitas were a decently sized plate of meats and peppers, along with refried beans and rice, and a handful of tortillas. From the dining room you can see the cook making your food so you know everything is hot and fresh. The meats were well seasoned but not overly so. The tortillas were just ok - seemed like warmed average grocery tortillas - a real shame given the great tortilla options nearby. Service was nice, attentive but not over bearing. The atmosphere was lacking - loud TVs, small, out dated dining room, cluttered decorations.

I've come here for years the consistency of quality and service is always on point. I usually get the shrimp burrito, it is a great mix of fresh ingredients with a ton of perfectly cooked shrimp - maybe my favorite thing to eat of all time. Every order comes with tortilla chips and their two homemade sauces which are great. I usually order takeout but dined in for the first time recently and am blown away by the presentation of the food and quality of service. The space is really nicely decorated and comfortable and everyone who works there is very kind.

I prefer no frills taco places. Where I’m from there is an abundance of these but they’re harder to find in Philly. This place is no frills. Authentic. The food is great. The salsa verde is delicious which sometimes is the truest indicator of a good taco place. The staff was friendly and place was clean too. If you want real tacos that are delicious. Come here.

Great authentic food. Burritos are huge

It's hard to give this place a fair rating. The food is delicious, but you really never know what you're going to pay until you order. The website isn't updated, and neither are the paper menus in the actual restaurant. There are just signs on the order window saying prices have changed with no further explanation. Times are hard for everyone I get it, but $44 for two burritos and some nachos is kind of ridiculous. If they could just be more transparent about pricing it would be a great help to everyone.

This little hole in the wall place is a MUST TRY - specifically if you're looking for good nachos that are ooey gooey and topped with steak that you'd kill for (follow @phillynachoes on IG for more). The food is authentic and you get so many salsas to choose from! And not to mention chips and salsa while you wait. Don't let the location stop you from going in.

I bought the nachos without meat and burrito with Mexican sausage. Hefty portions, but everything I received lacked flavor. I didn't taste anything. It was filled with pico de gallo, meat, rice, and beans, and nothing had flavor. I appreciated how thick the tortillas were for the nachos, but nothing else was memorable. They have a sitting area and a bathroom to wash your hands, so that is a plus.

I got the al pastor burrito, which was very yummy. Refreshing, didn't feel greasy. But they went super light on the al pastor meat since I barely tasted any in my burrito. My friend got the sopes and thought they were great. The masa cake was very high quality along with the pastor, but thought there was a bit too much lettuce Also the prices. keep. changing. so you don't know what the menu will look like when you go in. I still think the food was worth the price though. plus, free chips

**Update** Food and Drink Ordered: * worth trying - [Tacos*]: During one of the subsequent time I came to El Jarocho, I ordered three of the shrimp tacos because you can't mix and match if you order shrimp. The shrimp tacos were pretty good; the shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned and not dry. - [Burrito Jarocho]: The shrimp wasn't spicy at all and the burrito was surprisingly bland despite all of the different ingredients in it. I had to eat it with one of the sauces that the order came with for some flavor. Would I go back? : Potentially. My husband really likes their guacamole haha. At this point, I've come here three times. I think, overall, the chicken tinga tacos and shrimp tacos taste the best here and the burritos are on the bland side.

I returned here today and had a very good Mexican burrito, with steak. As before, they brought chips and 2 salsas, one a creamy one. Seats at lunchtime were scarce, but I joined a group of 4 who were happy to share. I knocked off a star because, just like on my last visit, the bill was higher than what the menu said, $15 instead of $12. Some of that was tax, sure, but still, I hate surprises. So be ready for that. I just noticed they are using the 2019 picture I took as the lead photo atop this page. Yay for me.

All hail pink sauce! The food here is so good, I recommend the steak burrito with chips and plenty of pink sauce

All I wanted to say is that this place is the bomb.com. My go to is always the Al Pastor, delicious and inexpensive. Yelp wants me to type more than I need to. So... This place is a must try Al pastor is muy delicioso Hope thats enough Yelp!

The shrimp burrito was delicious. It's huge and can be shared but the quesadillas were just ok. It's not the usual cheese used this is a thicker white cheese. It's not bad I just didn't expect the texture or taste.

I ordered 4 sets of tacos through delivery with 2 sprites (best sprites ever in glass bottles) and that rang up to $58 since it was delivered and they included a FREE LITER OF JARRITOs. Will always come back here. Delivery service was super quick and the food was amazing. Worker taking my order was super kind and so was the delivery guy.

Save yourself from going to this place at all cost. Not only was the food very subpar, but the prices on the menu were not the actual prices. They supposedly raise all the prices when you get the actual bill. So if you get a burrito instead of what was listed on the menu as $12, it's 14, and if you get the alambre, it's actually $19 instead of $15.50, as stated on the menu. On top of that, they include a ridiculous amount of tip in the bill. The food is not worth it, and especially not worth being scanned for. These people are very dishonest. In summary, they are conniving scammers and you can find way better Mexican food elsewhere. Very very disappointed in this place.

Wonderful people, excellent tacos, always kindness, and their hot sauce alongside the cream sauce for chips while you wait is amazing.

Homestyle look, cheap massive portions, good Mexican food and people. Went for a quick lunch and got quesadillas and partner got enchiladas. Everything was enormous so go hungry or accept leftovers. The quesadillas were different from my norm but were good and the mole on the enchilada hit the spot! They also served some drinks new to us like a rice milk with cinnamon. Staff was very friendly and helped us before we asked. Each meal was 10-12$ 5/5

Came here upon recommend of a friend and got the al pastor burrito. My gosh, that thing had some heft to it. Normally, I can eat a lot but even this burrito got me doing a double take and trying to catch my breath. I was surprised how full I got from one burrito. While the size of the burrito was already the plus, the flavors were also on point. Good mixture of fresh + cooked ingredients, and the amount of rice was the ratio. Some places fill it all the way up with rice, but this place keeps a good balance of the core ingredients and really lets the al pastor meat shine. The al pastor was definitely above average from the ones I've gotten in the past, but that's a high bar, especially since I grew up in Texas and have experienced some of the best Mexican food there. The complimentary chips and salsa they gave was also very delicious. Both sauces were amazing, and the chips definitely seemed fresh. One complaint I had was the prices on the menu were not up to date and it ended up costing a bit more than the listed price. They definitely need to update their menus. Overall, a very satisfying experience. 4/5 stars.

Great Mexican food. Huge menu. The look from the outside does not do the food justice, food is incredible. Recommend the burrito and side of chipotle sauce.

Literally the best steak tacos on the east coast. I lived in the neighborhood for years and they would deliver... when I moved into the city they would still deliver occasionally(I'd like to think because I was their most loyal taco costumer). EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC. I don't even live in Philly anymore but when I go back I always try to get an order. I love them. The pink/ orange sauce on the steak tacos is EVERYTHING

SCAM ALERT!! I went to this place and ordered the Supreme enchiladas and after giving them the money they yanked the food away and demanded more money. They were unable to communicate in English and said they "changed the menu" (despite me clearly seeing the menu). These people are crooks and will charge you whatever they are feeling like. I gave in and tried the food just for grins, and it was mediocre. The sauce was sparse and had no flavor, the chicken was dry and the tortillas were soggy. Let this be the nail in the coffin for this restaraunt.

Got dinner here late on a Sunday. Massive menu which matched the massive portions being served. We got a burrito which was literally the size of my head. And then a set of 3 al pastor tacos. Everything was delicious and cooked up nice and fresh for us. And just because the servings were large didn't mean the quality was low. The green salsa was delicious with a nice kick, and the chipotle ranch (I presume?) was nice and creamy and complimented the salsa well. The only downside was the guacamole. Very creamy, but maybe they rand out of ingredients late on a Sunday? There were no tomatoes, onions, or anything else in it, which was weird. Service was pretty quick, especially considering everything was fresh. Prices were also super reasonable. Really making it hard to choose the best Mexican food in this neighborhood...

Woman at the counter was EXTREMELY rude. Prices aren´t posted anywhere in the restaurant. Prices on the restaurant website, and in the menus aren´t accurate, and are lower than the random prices this establishment charges.

El Jarocho serves up some really great authentic Mexican food, and I look forward to grabbing lunch here every time I visit Philly. I am in love with their chorizo. It is arguably the best I've ever had. It is perfectly seasoned and so yummy. I've had it on both their tacos and in their burritos, and it never dissappoints. Once their food is in front of me, all I need is a bottle of Tapatío and it is a wrap for whatever is on my plate, so long as it includes their chorizo. It should also be noted that they have a cute atmosphere, efficient service, and an extensive drink collection. (Mexican coke FTW y'all). Overall, if you find yourself in Philly with a craving for authentic Mexican, El Jarocho is the place to go. Psssssst ... get the chorizo!

Off for a little lunchtime jaunt a few months ago and I stumbled upon this place. A complimentary pile of chips were delivered to my table almost immediately. It came with spicy green salsa and another cheesier version (served at room temperature). They were both tasty, but like another Yelper, I wish the chips weren't so hard. Crispy is good, but if they almost break your teeth, not so much. It was my only complaint about the meal. I ordered a $9 burrito with carnitas. It was huge. A small baby. The dish came with a tiny side salad. The burrito was absolutely delicious. I finished half and saved the rest for later.

Best Mexican restaurant in Philly!! The staff was very kind and I loved the burrito I got.

Friendly staff. Food came out fast. My husband had al pastor burrito and he said it's good. I had lengua aka beef tongue tacos and it's the most tender I've ever had. The tongue is cut in dice shape. Flan is ok not too sweet.

Best tacos in Philly. Has ruined all other taco places for me. Al pastor and carne asada tacos are fantastic

And they are back in business during this pandemic!! Take out available. Which means I've been there... 3 out of the 5 days after work.

This place is fantastic. I am from Texas and have eaten in many authentic taco places and this place is definitely makes it in the top 5%. Recently moving to the area, I couldn't stop thinking about this place and believe I went back 2 more times that month. There al pastor and cow tongue( there's a nice mexican name to it that I can't remember) tacos are delishhh! And man, they are pretty generous with the tacos. I'm a hungry boy that eats quite a lot but 3 tacos keeps me satisfied and content. I haven't had a good taco in Philly in my 5 years, but glad that I finally found it thanks to my friend! El Jaracho gets a thumbs up in my book for the tacos. ps. the ambiance could use a little work.

Interesting little Mexican restaurant tucked away on Ellsworth Street, one block down from the Broad Street Diner. First, I know these operators take pride in this place. Locals tell me they are often cleaning up outside. I can say my tacos were tasty. And for nine bucks you get a BELLY-BUSTING amount of food. (The taste/value ratio is good here.) ADDITIONAL NOTES: If you are a heavy person, don't count on being able to use the restroom. It's one of the smallest restaurant restrooms I've seen. Watch the steps as you exit. It's a little tricky. There's no parking lot. Your only option is street parking. OR go to Target and park in their garage (it might cost you?). Then walk a long block to get here.

This hole in a wall Mexican joint is a hidden gem in South Philly. Awesome non pretentious foods, love the tacos mixed combo w/ the side of beans and cactus. I go here on a monthly basis. Service is ok but who cares, I come here for the real deal foods.

Wow. Just took out a steak and shrimp burrito and wow. So delicious!! And the sauces on the side were also amazing.

Very good Mexican joint between Center City and South Philly. It's a small place and with minimum decor. The chips and salsa (on the House) are too good. Salsa packed a punch. Had me sipping soda after every bite. Loved it!! I have not had a burrito better than their Al Pastor, ever. Just the perfect mix and balance of meat, rice, beans, the sauces and tortilla. Delicious!!

So delicious, fergalicious. Tasty tasty. I had three al pastor tacos. (Fucking DELICIOUS) Ella had tostadas (she loved em) EAT HERE OR SUFFER REGERTS

I always get a shrimp burrito wit extra shrimp!!! The Food is always Delicious I recommend this restaurant anytime, any day! You won't be disappointed.

10/10. Amazing authentic Mexican food! I'm from Mexico City and I'm always searching for the perfect tacos and this place comes pretty damn close. The seasoning they use it's authentic and everything tastes delicious! If you are not sure what to get because their menu is pretty big, just go for the tacos. Carne asada, campechano, pastor and lengua are my favorite. The rice and beans are also delicious as well as their green and red authentic Mexican sauces. Oh and don't forget to have an original Mexican soda Jarritos or a refreshing agua fresca! Horchata it's my favorite. You won't be disappointed!!! I wish it was closer to city line avenue!

When me and my boyfriend walked in to the restaurant, I immediately noticed their sauce flavor. I felt like the smell pulled my body into the restaurant. We ordered the flan, steak tacos and shrimp burrito. Flan: very big, they give a very generous amount of the flan, and it's soaked in the yummy sweet caramel juice. Texture is perfect, not too firm and not too soft. Steak tacos: I thought 3 small tacos would be a quick taste of the flavor, but boyyyyy, was I wrong. They packed the steak inside the tortilla and it was impossible for us to even close the taco. They also double tortilla it, so the tortilla won't break. Flavor is definitely there, and it's so tender! Shrimp burrito: they packed the burrito with small shrimps, like literally packed! Every bite we took had shrimp in it, no lie. Overall, I will definitely go back if I was ever in Philly again. And the girl who worked there was super nice, very friendly and smiley.

I called to order 2 of the the "Jarocho Style egg breakfast" that is on the menu here on Yelp for $6. I asked specifically if it was the same thing and read the ingredients "does it come with Eggs, Beans, Sour Cream, Cheese, Onions, Green Peppers, Refried Beans and Cheese?" and the lady said yes and repeated the description back to me. She confirmed it was the same. Then, I asked for a side of beans and a side of rice. I picked it up and it was $38 !!!! It was pouring rain and I was rushed. I didn't realize I had literally been charged double what I should have been charged for the whole order. As soon as I got home 5 minutes later I called and said I had been overcharged and the lady on the phone said the menu I was accessing was not theres. I clarified the name of the item and the way they made it was exactly as listed. She said no that is not their menu and they don't have an online menu. She said the menu is printed in the restaurant and the prices are posted in there. Very shady! Then on top of that, the eggs were swimming in oil and made me vomit after eating it. Literally gave me food poisoning. It also made my boyfriend physically ill. And the rice was super oily and bland. The only thing that was good was the refried beans. What a waste of money!! I will never give them my business again. Never.

El Jarocho's food is authentic and good! This little neighborhood spot is only has about 5 tables, so I tend to order take out most of the time. The food is fresh, and the wait is never long. The people are always nice and helpful. One time, my friend wanted fish tacos, but could not find it anywhere on the menu, but they were willing to accommodate her order. Best thing on the menu is probably their tacos! However, I feel like their prices are higher compared to the other local Mexican establishments. While, I do like this place and will eat here on occasion, I do like other locations much more than El Jarocho.

If you live in South Philly or are in South Philly and aren't ordering from El Jarocho you're missing out. My favorite are the nachos & chorizo quesadilla but everything I've had from here has been great. Ask for extra of the sauce, it's amazing. If you walk by in the morning before they're open you can smell the delicious cooking! I've done both pick up and delivery - not sure what their delivery radius is but it's always come super quickly, usually within 20 minutes of calling in an order. All in all 10/10!

I've been here twice in two weeks! Great little Mexican joint, pretty authentic (i think?) with an extensive menu. I've ordered the Tosados twice and love it. You get three and they are piled high with goodies. The base is a crisp fried tortilla with refried beans, meat, shredded lettuce, cheese, and a slice of avocado. there's probably more in there that i missed, but it's delicious. It's all piled high though making it impossible to eat by hand. I recommend just breaking it up with a fork and eating it like that.

Excellent food, service was prompt. Everyone was very nice. Parking can be tough but it's an easy neighborhood walk.

I was in the area for an appointment and looking for a place to grab a bite and -- whoa! 300+ reviews? And this place is within a 2-min walk of where I'm standing? Off I go! It looks like a family-owned restaurant and is pretty spartan in general - maybe 6-8 tables, 1 waitress, etc. I was the only person eating there the entire time I was there (granted, I was there on a week night a little before dinner hours). The phone was ringing almost nonstop though, I assume from take-out orders. Complimentary chips to start with. My bistec dish was huge. The meat was a little saltier than I would have liked but nevertheless, a large size. Tons of sauteed onions, fresh guacamole, accompanied with pico de gallo, rice, and beans. I ate all I could and still had tons of leftovers. Not a huge space if you're bringing a large group - like I said, kind of spartan; tiny bathroom, 1 server, etc - but more than satisfying for a hungry diner.

El Jarocho is a little neighborhood Mexican restaurant that my boyfriend is obsessed with. If you eat in they give you a basket of perfectly cooked tortilla chips with 2 yummy sauces- a green salsa and a spicy creamy sauce. I'm not exactly sure what the creamy sauce had in it but it was addicting! For my entree I got the Burrito jarocho that comes with spicy shrimp, lettuce, pico, rice, beans, cheese and sour cream. It wasn't the best burrito I've ever had, but it definitely hit the spot. I was expecting the spicy shrimp to be well spicy, however, I found the dish had very little heat. Overall I enjoyed eating it mostly cause it's hard not to love a burrito, ya know? If you live close and need a quick, tasty meal, this is a great place. But if you're looking for blow you away Mexican, I wouldn't go out of your way to come here.

Best Mexican spot I've been to here in Philly. They take credit card, which is also a huge plus. Not sure I understand why it has gotten dinged on service; everyone we met there was nice and speedy. Small neighborhood restaurant with a couple of tables inside for dine-in. If you dine-in, you get some chips and salsa plus some sort of spicy mayo sauce. The real highlight here for me was the carne asada. I'm not sure what kind of marinade they use, but it's salty, citrusy, and garlicy. So good. Tacos are also really huge and a meal within themselves for $9.00. Huge menu, so there is something to please everyone.

I was excited to try the food, but was very bland for my tastes. Gets great reviews though, Maybe I didn't try the right items.

Really great takeout Mexican food. One of the more underrated sandwiches in Philadelphia with the super torta El Jarocho. And I think that they have the best nachos in the city.

Great neighborhood Mexican place. Portion sizes are huge! My family of four can split two entrees and be stuffed. The tacos are probably my favorite but the burritos and tortas are also excellent. I also really enjoyed their flan. If you live close to 13th and Ellsworth, make this your go-to Mexican place. No need to go over to 9th St for good Mexican.

I ordered the pork burrito with no beans. It was delicious! I really enjoyed the green salsa as well . The burrito was massive and the pork was tender . The pork had some sweetness but not overpowering. It was a good burrito for the price .

Usually my go to spot Mexican food. When you sit down, you get complementary chips and salsa. There's about 10 tables there and something playing on the tv. I get the tacos - chorizo, steak, and beef. Comes with raw onions, cilantro, radishes, cactus, and lime. You can taste the soy sauce that they use in their food, which I don't mind. There are also two sauces that you get - I like the red one which is a chipotle sauce.

My Fiancé and I absolutely love this taco spot! We will drive across the city to come here whenever we are craving authentic Mexican. El Jarocho provides complementary chips and a chipotle and cilantro sauce all made in-house. Service is very quick and never disappoints!

If you're looking for no frills, authentic Mexican, this is the spot for you. Customer service is not much, but the food makes up for it. They always pair their complimentary house tortilla chips with two sauces, a salsa and a Mayo-based one. These were so delicious that it filled me up before our entrees even came out! We tried out their specials: costillas de res enchipotladas y nopales (short ribs with chipotle sauce and cactus) and chicken mole. The short ribs were tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of heaven. A little fatty, but super tasty. The mole was a bit disappointing. It was overly (almost gnawingly) sweet and lacked spice - a bit of habanero sauce helped but just barely. These were slightly pricier than most other items on the menu, but the portions were huge! Will definitely be back again to sample their burritos, tacos, and tortas!

Authentic Mexican food convenient to center city! It's not romantic or fancy, but the food is tasty and affordable. Friendly staff facilitated our quick lunch. Midday, I was still able to order a breakfast dish while my friend ordered lunch. Philly doesn't have a lot of Mexican food, so I am glad to have found this gem.

I love El Jarocho. I've ordered burritos and tacos there, and I've also done entrees. Except for one steak and onion entree that didn't go over well, all of my orders have been tasty. Pre-covid, I used to eat there and pig out on chips and salsa. I would also see Mexican construction workers ordering lunch dishes not found on the menu; wish I had been brave enough to try them as well. Since I haven't found the restaurant on any local delivery apps, I haven't eaten food from there as much during the pandemic. But when I have, the food has been good as always. Definitely worth a try if you haven't already.