I used to go to Buena Onda regularly when I lived nearby, but it's been... years. I'm glad to see they've survived and are better than ever. The ordering system is fairly straightforward with screens at the entry showing the full menu, and further down 2 kiosks to place and pay for your order. If you order alcohol (margarita or beer), you need to present ID to the employees after placing the order. They run a very reasonable daily happy hour from 4-6pm! Today I tried the special (fish taco) and was blown away by how well the taco was cooked. The fish was tender, not overcooked, and very flavorful. The accompanying sauce, slaw, and other toppings were light and balanced the fish perfectly. I'm not a huge fan of fish tacos, but this one might convert me! I also ordered an old staple, the tuna dip, which was just like I remembered. My only disappointment was the margarita didn't come with the salt rim I ordered. As a fast casual concept, it's great for takeout for locals or tourists from the art museum area! read more

Buena Onda - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of my faves! This is a great location near the Barnes museum, the library and the Parkway. It's a fast casual type of restaurant, but with really good food! It's a nice place to stop if you want to grab a quick meal, but you can also sit for a while and relax. Takeout is also available. You order at the counter, they give you a number and bring your food to the table. There's a self serve drink station. The aqua Fresca is delicious! I love the tacos here. The fish tacos are my favorite. All the tacos have good little extras on them like pickled onions and avocado. That makes them extra special! Buena Onda also has an excellent happy hour! Tacos are three dollars margaritas are $6, chips and pico de gallo $1. Happy hour is every day 4 to 6. Seating is inside and outside. It has a lot of natural light. The bathrooms were very clean. read more

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Yummy Mexican food - definitely more of a Baja / Californian variety. When we came it was pretty busy but we got our chips and drinks first so that helped. The service was fast and it's like a cafe style where you order yourself then they bring the food to the table.I loved that the drinks and chips and dips were affordable. The tacos were good and very packed with fiber and veg options. Overall it was a good meal and cost about $30 for everything! read more

Buena Onda - Bean dip - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We were lured in by their happy hour sign outside and wanted to try em out. Nice spot with some outdoor seating and also many tables inside. Ordering is done at the kiosks to the left as you walk in which makes customizations and such really easy. After you order, you take a table marker and sit down. All the tacos were good - fried fish, pork al pastor, and chicken. Toppings were ample and loaded up, and all were well seasoned. Chips and salsa for $1 was a great deal to snack on. Service is very quick. Thanks read more

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I love love love this Mexican restaurant. It's close to my home. It has outside seating if you like which I prefer on a bright sunny day. The food is Authentic and fresh. I promise that you will come back for more. My absolute go to is the shrimp bueno bowl with cilantro rice and a kid cheese nacho. I'm always pleased with whether it's tacos or the bueno bowl. Also they have frozen Rita's, beer. Great after work visit solo, date or with friends. The vibe is so chill and the staff are too. Friendly. Kind. Helpful. Professional too. read more

Buena Onda - First Timer - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My friend and I were in the art museum area and stumbled across this chill mexican spot, which was perfect for a tacos lunch. You place your order at the kiosk screens in front, and then they'll bring out the food to you. They have a selection of drinks, which was great because the Jarritos pineapple soda is one of my favs & really hit the spot. If you're going to order one thing from their menu, make it their fresh fish taco! Out of all of their tacos, this one is the banger - their fish is nicely battered, light and flakey, perfectly cooked. I wish I got another one, but I got full from the other tacos. I also tried their pork al pastor & shrimp tacos - both were okay, but taking a star off because I wish there was more flavor. Overall super chill spot, I hear they have happy hour specials, so would come back again for the fish taco! read more

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Had to take a star away. Not sure whose idea it was to switch to dipping sauces over filled churros, but it knocked them from being my favorite churro place in the city immediately. It's now just another churro unfortunately. Change it back haha. read more

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These tacos may not look like much but they were fantastic. Everything was fresh, tender, and flavorful. My favorite was the shrimp taco - the shrimp was fresh; the creaminess of the crema was offset by the crunch of the slaw nicely. This came with a flour tortilla that was middle of the road. The red chile short rib was big chunks of tender meat, but I didn't get any spicy flavor. The pork al pastor had a nice sweetness with the pineapple chunks. I liked how they were small so it was multiple small bursts of sweet instead of large chunks in certain bites. read more

Buena Onda - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We were in the area and decided to stop by for dinner. You place your order at the counter and then seat yourself. We walked in during happy hour, so we got $1 chips & salsa. We're not big on tomatoes, so we didn't eat the salsa, but the chips were nicely seasoned and crispy. We had a side of esquites and used it as a dip for our chips, which is highly recommend. I had a grilled shrimp taco & a chicken taco. The chicken taco was alright, but the grilled shrimp was my favorite of the two. I would definitely come back for more of those. The soft tortillas held up nicely as well. The dulce de leche churros were a great way to end the meal. It was not too doughy and the filling was sweet, but not so sweet that it was overpowering the whole dessert. read more

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Tacos make me happy. Especially when they're discounted during happy hour. I came here for the first time on Wednesday with a fellow Yelper prior to an event. Happy Hour at Buena Onda is daily from 4-6 PM. Fish tacos are $4 so naturally I had to get one, but I subbed the fish for tofu. Man oh man! The tofu was juicy and crispy. The sliced avocado and chipotle sauce tasted great with the tofu, too. My other taco was mushroom and kale. Also very flavorful! I love kale and mushrooms but never thought to have them on a taco. The platanos were excellent with the crema and queso fresco. I could've done without the black bean puree but I still enjoyed them. Service at the front was fantastic and our food came out rather quickly despite there being many customers in the dining room. This place is such a gem for cheap and tasty tacos! read more

Buena Onda - Mushroom and Kale taco & Fried Fish taco (substituted with fried tofu instead of fish) - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The perfect happy hour for those in the art museum/fairmount area! This fast casual mexican spot offers HH from 4-6pm daily with discounts on their tacos and margaritas. I thought it was super cool and efficient that we placed our orders on screens upon arrival, got to choose an indoor or outdoor seat, and were quickly served our food and drinks. It gave the vibe of Chipotle, but you could order margaritas... so it's 10x better! We went with the short rib tacos and al pastor tacos. They were both packed with fillings and topped with lotssss of cheese! Although they were both super flavorful, the al pastor taco with fresh pineapple takes the cake for me! As far as beverages, it simply doesn't get better than $20 HH margarita pitchers! For a few $$, you can add a flavor to the margarita and I highly recommend the sweet, refreshing prickly pear! read more

Buena Onda - Short rib taco and Al Pastor taco - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So disappointed in my last visit here. I used to love this place. The quality has fell off and the prices have gone up. No need to go into detail but sad to say we Probly won't ever go back. read more

This restaurant was a nice surprise. I was in the Art Museum area and just chose from the array of restaurants in the area. I had low expectations and was very pleasantly surprised at how good and fresh the tacos were. I got ground beef and fried fish. Both were very good. Also ordered the guacamole , it was fantastic. I will definitely be back. The place is clean and well kept, the staff is friendly and helpful. I see a negative review here saying the quality has gone down. I can't imagine the quality being any better than the experience I had when I visited. read more

Quick happy hour at Buena Onda. I'm obsessed with the order & pay first. Gets you in and out quick! I kid you not, my food came out about 1 min after I ordering, and the drinks maybe 3 mins later. I mean the spot wasn't packed, but still! I went with the pork Al pastor, the red chili short rib, and the $1 happy hour chips and salsa. Drinks-- half off margs: prickly pear and mango! It's giving very much inauthentic, but tasty nonetheless. read more

We heard about the Baja crispy tacos here and having wanted to come for a long time and it did not disappoint! The crispy Baja tacos are for sure the best we tried all of them. They were all great. Our second favorite was the red chili beef. My son's favorite was the el Pastor, but I thought it was a little bit bland maybe pineapple wasn't in season. Definitely ask for a side of lime to squeeze over those fish tacos. It's just perfection! We also enjoyed their real sugar sodas. The black cherry was amazing. We also started with two bowls of chips, one with a side of beans and one with salsa and the beans were to die for! We finished up with churros with a hot chocolate dipping sauce. That was amazing. We will be coming back over and over.! The servers were all very kind and accommodating even when one of the orders was wrong she fixed it right away no problem. read more

I started going to Buena Onda back when I lived around the block. They have a really cheap happy hour with decent margaritas and discounts on food. It's a casual spot where you order at the counter then seat yourself. The food is more California style than traditional. After moving away, I would order from Buena Onda a lot because it was so affordable. Recently though the price of almost everything on the menu increased. Some items went up by 50% including the tacos. It makes sense since food costs have increased for everyone. However, considering the quality of the food, at the new prices I would say Buena Onda is not worth it with so many great competitors in Philly (unless you're going for the hh discounts). The serving sizes are small and the flavors are decent but not great. One thing I do like though is you order each taco individually so you can mix and match. If you tend to eat plant-based, you'll find a few options here. I like the mushroom and kale tacos - they get soggy but they taste nice. They also have a fish taco style option with tofu. The nachos are also good as is the game day special quesadilla with beans and corn. read more

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Love the chicken burrito. The shrimp burrito is good. A lot lighter than the chicken burrito. Not a fan of the pork burrito read more

Stopped in here for a quick lunch after visiting the nearby Barnes Collection. Taco trio was tasty and light, everything freshly made. Bright, well-lit interior with cheerful colors everywhere. I'll admit, I found the prices a bit higher than expected, but I'm used to eating from taco trucks so sitting in a chair with a table cost more. But there's the rub: was it significantly better than a taco truck to justify the price jump?? I....don't think so. The servers were friendly, as they dropped off my order, but I doubt I'd return. read more

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"Smoked Tuna Dip" Read it on the menu. It seemed crazy. I've never seen a smoked fish dip at a Mexican place. In fact, I've never seen a smoked fish dip at a not-bagel shop. Just in case you're wondering, this place does not have bagels. So I ordered it. I could eat this stuff all day. Every day. Hell, it would actually be great on a bagel. But is also great as a dip with tortilla chips. Going to a bbq? Going to the beach? Want to surprise your friends by bringing something that they've never had before that everyone will love? Then I have three words for you: smoked tuna dip. Oh, and chips. You might as well bring them chips too. read more

Food 6/10 Atmosphere 6/10 Service 3/10 Tips: takeout is good option if it's packed. They have margarita pitcher deals weekly. They forgot to give us the chips and guac; called about it but they didnt do anything.. Bowl was ok. read more

Buena Onda - Beef bowl - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Haven't had exceptional tacos since I went to Mexico a year ago and these hit the spot! I got the grilled shrimp taco, one with the corn tortilla and the other with a flour tortilla. The tortillas taste homemade. Also got the tuna dip which was unique and had a smokey flavor. They give so many chips! I always appreciate creative and fun decor that had thought put into it. This spot reminded me of a spot I went to on Venice Beach, California. read more

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The service is so great and I would definitely recommend the chicken tacos! The food and drinks are so good I recommend the mango lemonade, definitely coming back!!! I love how the restaurants vibe and this is such a great lunch spot!! You will definitely see me here soon!! Thank you buena onda!! read more

Great deals, the food was good and the margarita was strong. The ambience... isn't really there but overall it was good and fast. read more

Buena Onda - JG's Battered Fish Taco - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The quality of Buena Onde's food seems to peak during the summer, but maybe fish tacos just make more sense to watch then! Overall, though, I based these 5 stars on a long duration of Buena Onde's work: 2015 to 2024. It's always been one of my favorite places to go! read more

Buena Onda - Grilled Fish tacos - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I guess I would describe this as a modern and hip taco joint with a gringo twist, maybe? But not too gringo. :). We took a lunch break while visiting the Franklin Institute and it was just a handful of blocks away. I was able to order on yelp. The tacos are about $5.50 a pop with choices from al pastor, my favorite, to fish tacos. I was a little miffed on the price, but the tacos come stuffed to the brim. So if you want to be responsible, have two, and three if you are feeling frisky. Great eats. read more

This place is amazing for takeout and a quick bite to dine in. I've had both and have not been disappointed. The nachos are incredible and all of the tacos options are awesome. The staff from the register, the manager and the bussing staff were phenomenal. Pro tip: Don't sleep on the Margs. Thank you Buena Onda for amazing dining experiences. read more

Buena Onda - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It was sadly, and truly, just okay. You could make just as good of tacos at home. I ordered a ropa viejo taco and a short rib taco and I'm not sure which came out as a basic hard shell taco that Taco Bell would've made better. It was drenched in its sauce which nullified the crunch of the hard shell. The shredded meat version was even wetter and on a store bought corn tortilla. The fries fish taco was by far the best but it was pretty skimpy (maybe a 1oz filet). You can get better tacos at many other places. I got a pineapple margarita that was waaay too strong-and that's saying something-but it was not made correctly, I'm not sure what happened there. The place is cute inside and it's good for the tourists looking for a quick bite before heading to the art museum or the Barnes. But if you live in Philly, you could make better tacos at home. read more

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If you're looking for good Mexican food, this is a great spot. Never disappoints and let's you choose between flour or corn tortillas which is a game changer for me. You'll never go wrong with any of the tacos here but you should always add the guacamole and churros to your order because they never disappoint read more

Buena Onda - "K38" Burrito with Short Rib Beef - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Delicious spot with amazing service! The food was fantastic with the fried fish taco and the HEFTY al pastor burrito being the stars of the show. Reasonably priced for portions and definitely recommend. read more

Buena Onda - K38 Burrito with Pork Al Pastor - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I came here and ordered quite a feast - we ordered the smoked tuna dip, the guacamole, shrimp tacos, the fish tacos, the al pastor tacos, the pineapple margaritas, and the sangria. The appetizers were decent but nothing too outstanding. The chips were a bit harder than normal chips, but the rest of the appetizers were fairly standard. Our favorite tacos were definitely the shrimp or the fish tacos - both were fried really well. I would say the al pastor tacos were a bit average, but the drinks were also pretty good. Overall it was a decent dining experience and would come again. read more

Buena Onda - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Decent taco place on Callowhill. I went there today for the first time. They have the basics - fish (fried or grilled), beef, chicken and pork. I ordered a grilled fish on a corn tortilla and a beef taco, my friend ordered the fried fish on flour tortillas, which I heard is the most popular. Aesthetically very appealing. The tacos were served with purple cabbage and a generous slice of avocado. The taste was fine but nothing amazing. The fish came with a chipotle remoulade which was pretty flavorful and the fish was marinated in a tequila sauce which also gave it good taste. The beef had cilantro, onion, queso fresco, and refried beans. With all of the coloring of spices and toppings I expected it to be very flavorful, but alas, no. It needed a healthy topping of the salsa verde. The have 3 sauces. The salsa verde was OK (it had the look and taste of coming out of a jar), they had an orange and brown sauce which my friend did not care for. We also tried the corn dish which was fantastic and flavorful. Overall I did the math - 3.5 stars for the food. 5 stars for the service. 2 stars for the ambiance as there were flies everywhere, 5 for having plain soda water available in the fountain....rounding it up to 4. I won't make an effort to go back but if I am starving and happen to look up at the street corner and see the signs 19th and Callowhill - I will go there....unless I am craving pizza, then I will go to Pizzeria Vetri. read more

Buena Onda - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Love, love, love the chicken and grilled shrimp Tacos! The margaritas are excellent and the atmosphere is extremely welcoming. I was hesitant to try the chocolate churros initially but they were delish. read more

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Had lunch here... and it was pretty darned good! Great guacamole. So tasty, in fact, we ordered take out for later. Unfortunately they missed an item in our to-go bag. But the manager was super friendly on the phone & fixed it up for next time. We'll definitely visit again. They have indoor & outdoor seating, some vegan options. Worth a lunch stop if you're over by the museum area. read more

Buena Onda - Menu - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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cute spot! i've gotten take out twice from here. they sometimes forget your little sides like salsa verde. make sure to check and see if it's in there. the staff has been friendly both times. i'll have to go and dine in to see how that experience is! very delicious tacos, full of flavor. I do wish there were more pineapples on the al pastor but that's my personal preference! i love single taco orders as well because it allows you to try multiple different tacos from the same place and if you're still hungry you can grab another one! overall very yummy. read more

Buena Onda - Pork Al Pastor Taco - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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In trying to rate Buena Onda, I kept thinking it *had to be* a 4-star place, but then I honestly couldn't think of anything negative about the place! It's quickly become one of our easy, affordable, and delicious go-to places since moving to Philly just over a month ago. The staff has always been really friendly, and the food generally comes out quickly. Things definitely slow down during busy times, but that's unsurprising. The space is probably just the right size for their smaller kitchen and staff, but may feel smaller if you're a customer, as the seats can fill up during peak times, and to-go orders can feel like they take a while. Fortunately, the type of food being served usually allows for quick turnover of tables, so you won't be stuck standing around for too long if you want to eat in. The atmosphere is fast casual, but they do bring your food out to you and bus your table if you're there long enough. I really enjoy the food. The meat is usually very tender and their corn tortillas are awesome, holding up really well to the moisture of the meat and the toppings. They even hold up when you get food to go (at least for 15 minutes or so). The tacos are well-balanced in terms of their contents, and for $3.50-4/taco, it's a really good deal! Their nachos are good, but are a lot larger than you might expect. I almost feel like they were too big for two people that also ordered a few tacos. I'd recommend adjusting your order accordingly if you order the nachos. The smoked tuna dip is good, as is the tortilla soup! Overall, the fact that we continually go to Buena Onda says that it's doing something right. The staff is awesome, the food is consistently good, and the price points mean you can go regularly without breaking the bank. Buena onda, indeed! read more

Fish tacos didn't disappoint! They were juicy and delicious, and came with an avocado slice, no extra charge. The fish was crispy and ample in portion. It came with picked veggies on top. The corn was a little watery at the bottom but still delicious. The chips and guac were super crispy. The interior is somewhat similar to the inside of a chipotle. I definitely would come back again! read more

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We really loved this place. We got pineapple iced teas and they were very fresh and perfect on a hot day. The salsa was excellent - very fresh too - and a must-purchase if you stop through here. Everything we got was great and it was one of our favorite restaurants in the city. Plus it's a ten or fifteen minute walk to a ton of great spots like Love Park, and the street parking wasn't too bad. This is a great place to eat. read more

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Taco was disappointing mainly because there was hardly any fish, tortilla soup was better but not that special. Service was good, cashier was polite and food came quickly. read more

Buena Onda - Fish Taco & Tortilla Soup - Tacos Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The tacos are pricier in comparison to similar brands, but they are quite tasty. This review is for the guacamole tho. $9.50 + tax for this is a joke. The portion is about a scoop of ice cream with a little bit of chips, photos below for size, and the green salsa container for comparison. read more

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The food here is decent, and I like the casual atmosphere and fresh fish and shrimp tacos, but it is starting to feel like they are going downhill. There is not enough staff to handle the takeout and dine-in orders on any given night, and the removal of the salsa bar was a major disappointment. I often get incorrect items on delivery orders from them as well. If they can't get their business together, I suggest people start looking elsewhere for their taco needs. read more