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    El Merkury

    4.3 (217 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    EL MERKURY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Jeongmin H.

    Their pupusas were solid. Great combination of flavors and pretty good amount of food. It was easy to share as we were trying out lots of different vendors within the market.

    Josie

    Stopped by for lunch and had a great meal. You order on the computer and the food is ready quite quickly. I got the nachos with guac + black bean jalapeño pupusa. I was very satisfied with the nachos. Pupusa was alright. I was super full. I enjoyed the Latin playlist and open windows. Next time I want to try one of their drinks + churros!

    Pupusas
    Alicia J.

    Had been craving pupusas for a while and this seemed like the best (and perhaps only) spot in Center City. Unlike the homier spots where I've had pupusas in the past, El Merkury is a spacious and modern fast-casual restaurant with touchscreens to order from, which may make it more approachable to newcomers but somewhat less cozy than a more longtime family-owned kind of place. Though you don't talk to anyone to order, someone serves your food to your table and even waits to serve your dessert until after you've finished your meal which makes it feel a touch more personal than your usual counter-serve spot. I got an order of two pupusas, one with loroco (an edible flower used as a vegetable) and cheese and one with pork. I liked that they were topped with some pickled onions and salsa to give some crunch and bright flavors. Of the two, I preferred the loroco and cheese as the cheese imparted some moisture and tasty fattiness, though I would have liked more loroco. The pork one was somewhat one-note and I think I'd get another filling with cheese next time, either the bean and cheese or pork and cheese. A surprisingly filling and satisfying meal for not too much money though. For dessert I split the "South Philly," a churro sundae with vanilla ice cream, Nutella and caramel sauce, and cannoli chips. It was a visual treat and the churro itself was perfectly crispy! Would be happy to come back to try another churro sundae flavor, and maybe one of the combo meals.

    Monica T.

    Had a delicious lunch at El Merkury! Conveniently located in Center City a couple blocks from Rittenhouse Square. They have screens to place your order but the friendly staff is on hand in case you have questions. For ease in meal ordering, they offer a couple Combos. I enjoyed the Pupusa (Chicharron Pork) and Tostada (Pork Mechada), and 2 Sides (Cheese Baked Rice w/ jalapenos & corn, Guacamole). I have zero complaints about any of it - it was all delicious. There's plenty of seating to sit at as you enjoy your meal and fun music. Can't wait to return. PS. Don't miss out on the insane churros -- some offered with ice cream and toppings!

    pupusa and taquito meal deal with a tamarind water
    Jackie M.

    What a delight to eat here! I love that they have screens to order on, it's really nice to have a fast casual place like this. I ordered around 5pm and sat by the window. The food came out really quickly and they brought it right over to me. I ordered a beans and cheese pupusa, a roasted squash taquito, banana chips, and avocado salsa (they call in guacamole but it's not a traditional american guac). This was part of their meal deal for $13.99. I thought that was a fair price for the amount of food. I also ordered the tamarind water, which was very refreshing. The food was very flavorful and just different that what I usually eat. I can't decide if the pupusa or the taquito was my favorite. They also add some pickled veggie accoutrements. Very delicious. I will definitely be back - but maybe I will check out their location at Reading Terminal next.

    Samira A.

    This is a cute spot with plenty of seating and a clean bathroom. They offer self service computers to place your order, which is convenient. Since I was in a hurry, I only ordered a build your own salad, which was fresh and tasty. I chose spinach, pinto beans, zucchini, and carrots, and they provided a generous amount of cilantro dressing, perfect for coating all the veggies. The flavors here are great, and the prices are very reasonable. I look forward to coming back to try more items.

    Pupusas

    Waited about 15 minutes for my order. The pupusas looked great and were nicely presented, and the price--2 for $14--is a solid deal. Unfortunately, they were a bit lacking in flavor. That said, the staff was super kind and which I really appreciated.

    Outside
    Manta K.

    El Merkury is a vibrant casual restaurant which serves Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras food. The menu has items like pupusas, tostadas, taquitos, and churros. It's an easy process to order off of a touchscreen and your food is prepared quickly and when ready your name is called. We appreciated that dietary restrictions are clearly labeled. Most of what we ordered was very tasty however not sure if we ordered the wrong pupusas as the bean ones were a bit bland. The tostada and taquito were delicious though. We loved the bright cheerful interior and were sad we were too full for a churro. Docking one star for the bland pupusas but will definitely be back and will try a different one and will adjust my rating. Please give this place a try it is very unique!

    Sharvani M.

    Good food! I've had taquitos from their Reading Terminal Market location before and they were quite tasty and crisp, and same experience this time except tried a few more items. The butternut squash taquitos were probably still my fave for how crispy on the outside, savory on the inside they were. I also really enjoyed the beet tostada, but didn't love the black bean pupusas. The toppings ar generally the same on each item (pickled onions, lettuce, salsa) so the real flavor comes from the filling or stuffing itself and the toppings add to it. Plenty of vegetarian options - I would come back here for a little snack but probably not a whole meal.

    Got the churro on the side
    Angela B.

    Just go to your neighborhood churro man lol =========== I was excited for the churro, but even fresh it wasn't that good :( vanilla soft serve with nut brittle, goat milk caramel sounded better on paper. The churro was pretty hard on the outside and wasn't really moist on the inside. For $7, you get a sizeable amount, but I didn't even enjoy eating the churro by itself. Even Jack in the box churros are better. When I called them on the phone, they didn't pick up and I let it ring forever. As I entered, they were serving one customer so I'm not sure what occurred here.

    Churro w ice cream

    Pork and cheese pupusas were delicious! The churro with ice cream dessert was yummy. Service was great. Definitely recommend.

    Gloria L.

    First, I would go here again just for the churro desserts! That was the best dessert I've had in a while, and they have such a broad selection of flavors of churros and soft serve ice cream. Based on my first experience, I think I would enjoy all the flavors. Of the other foods we ordered my favorites were the taquitos and empanadas. I also loved their plantain chips and guacamole. I was excited for their pupusas since not many places serve them but they were fine--nothing super exciting.

    Pupusa & Taquito Combo
    Cookie W.

    Fast food, quick service, friendly staff. Self seeting area Taquito (5/5) - One of the best taquitos in philly, fried perfectly. Thicker than traditional Pupusa (4/5) - Soft, flavorful, we got vegetarian Tostada (3/5) - Average

    Coffee churro

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    4 months ago

    Business owner information

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    Sofia D.

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    2 years ago

    Great place for lunch! We had nachos with pork and a churro. It was busy and the food came fast. We will be back

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    Food is great. Service is very dependent on the day. If you can order online, that's ideal.

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    Page 1 of 6

    El Merkury Reviews in Other Languages

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    Photos
    Matcha ice cream ($7)
    Matcha ice cream ($7)
    Panda Snack Cup Series w/ Roasted Green Tea Gelato. Fresh Red Bean, Jasmine Tea Jello, Boba pearls, and Crispy flakes
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    El Merkury - latin - Updated July 2026

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