For the table: - a pitcher of watermelon mint margaritas - chips & guac - fries - spicy pork burritos The food is really great! The guac here is an absolute must. The margaritas were so worth it. Get a pitcher! Atmosphere: This place would've gotten 5 stars from me if I could actually hear my friends while we ate dinner. We initially sat upstairs but we had to move downstairs because the live band was sooooo painfully loud. I asked the server if there was any way they could turn down the sound but he said it wasn't possible (not his fault). We were sat in the corner directly under a speaker. It was equally loud everywhere upstairs. When we got downstairs and it was still so loud that we were shouting across the table. Don't get me wrong, the band was amazing (SOOOO GOOD) but way too loud. My ears were hurting. I've honestly never experienced a restaurant/bar with music this loud. **bring earplugs, good vibes, and order a pitcher read more

Jose Pistolas - Downstairs bar - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Good margaritas, good food, good time! I would recommend the lamb burrito (however they didn't have it last time I visited in September) the nachos and other burritos were also very good! We always get a pitcher of margarita and share. Worth a try :) read more

Jose Pistolas - Wagyu beef burrito - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Located within an un-flashy and unassuming exterior, Jose Pistola's is a gem if you love Mexican food or craft beer. While the decor both inside and outside isn't very modern or special (it's basically a dive bar), they have a good variety of Mexican food and an even better selection of craft beer. I came here on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't crowded at all. We ordered a trio of dips that included some fancy guacamole with nuts and goat cheese, a salsa ketchup mix, and another guac. While the salsa ketchup mix wasn't my favorite for chips, the guacamole dips were decent. But the standout of my meal was my lobster tacos. They were tender and flavored nicely (you get two for a price of 18). So far I haven't found any other restaurant in Philly that serves lobster taco. Jose Pistola also has a good selection of craft beer, ranging from the rare Pliney the Elder to KBS on the day we went. This definitely isn't something you would expect just looking at the place from outside, and a nice little bar for those looking for rarer craft beers (KBS isn't that rare but Pliney is, and there were a few others that I don't remember). read more

Jose Pistolas - Lobster Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The first time the existence of this place was brought to my attention was in the context of spectacular nachos and instagram photo ops. Needless to say this was a must on the list. I've been trying to eat healthier (LOL) in preparation for a license-to-indulge on my vacation next week (to Mexico of all places, classic) so I was hesitant to come here. I considered going to a place I have been before with less pressure to order nachos. Let's call a spade a spade, I'm not getting any fucking younger and Philly's inventory of restaurants isn't going to visit itself. I did, however, declare that I was not going to order nachos. T.O'B. and I schlepped down 15th street until we came across the storefront. After struggling to locate the actual entrance (despite the fact that there's only one door) we made our way inside and up the stairs to our table. It smells like college in here. It is dark with a divey vibe. Happy hour drink specials consist of $10 off a margarita pitcher (god only knows how much a margarita pitcher is regularly because it's not listed anywhere on the menu that either of us could find) otherwise it's all beer. Hours are 4-6pm. Margaritas at all hours are a good deal ($6 for regular with other types offered). I had to drive later in the evening and in order to take advantage of the last few minutes of hh, I went with a yuengling. Tina went with the regular marg. I have read in previous reviews that their pistachio guac is TO DIE. Let's be real again, I ordered the fucking nachos. Adding a nice slab of guac to the top of that 'cho pile is an extra $3.5 and I hazarded to request ours was the pistachio variety. Unfortunately that was a no-go for inexplicable reasons. :-/. They do give the option to throw on any of their "land proteins", some of which include vegetarian options like some cauliflower buffalo shit and whatnot. Tizzle ordered fish tacos. Some time after ordering, I decided to wash my hands for sanitation reasons. With nachos of this calibur, there will be blood. According to Dr. O'Brien's account of events, the food arrived at precisely the moment I got up from the table. Classic AF. I returned from the bathroom to a gigantic nacho mountain sitting before me. Contrary to the pattern of nacho distribution I have encountered in Philadelphia, these nachos were dispersed in a higher rather than wider orientation, decreasing the topping to chip ratio. Don't get me wrong, whatever that fucking white cheese shit was (research into the menu reveals "mexican cheese blend") was DELICIOUS. Holy shit I could bathe in that stuff. But there were a lot of naked chips. Another shocking thing about these nachos were the complete lack of BEANS. What the fuck? Beans are a CRITICAL component of nachos. On a few occasions I thought I saw a bean, eagerly lanced that bad boy with my fork just to discover it was a spherically-shaped tomato cube. When you begin to see beans as a mirage that's when you know you're FUCKED. Help me. When my yueng was dunzo I ordered a marg just for completeness sake. It was nothing particularly special, tasty, or strong. I can't quite complain for $6 tho. Service was very good, our waitress was nice and prompt. There are better nachos elsewhere but I cannot argue with the alcohol prices or speak about the other food options. read more

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Went here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. Another one of those "hip" Philly bar/restaurants that only cares about regulars. Server/bartender was extremely rude and barely paid attention to us but rather hung out at a table with people who seemed to be her friends all evening. Once she walked away, me and my partner were chatting with the table across from us, friendly people. Once the server came back I heard them ask her to get us a drink on their tab. She then rolled her eyes, waved them off, laughed, and said no. We each had had 1 beer at this point and decided to order a round of margaritas, we both specified a salt rim. We found it interesting that when the server came back with our margaritas there was no salt on the rim, but a few minutes later her friends ordered some and they all got salt... needless to say I was salty. Rightfully so though, Jose's as well as Sancho's employees truly only pay attention and give good service to people who are their weekly. I have been feeling this way for a while, but after this last experience I definitely will not be returning to either locations. Managers and owners need to do more. read more

Decent Mexican bar that is good for late nights. I came here with friends around 11pm and had some drinks and nachos and it was fine although very loud. The nachos were tasty and the chips were not too salty which I appreciated. I didn't order any drinks but my friends were quite satisfied with theirs. Only reason it isn't 5 stars is it is incredibly loud inside. I know this is to be expected with bars especially on Friday night but I and my friends wound up leaving earlier than anticipated because it was to the point of pain and we were having to shout to hear each other. So if you don't like loud bars don't come here when it's super busy. read more

Nice low key spot with something for everyone. Great beer list. Great Margaritas. Friendly and accommodating service. Good food. We will definitely be back. read more

Jose Pistolas - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Burritos, people! Get the burritos!! Also, the margaritas will NEVER disappoint. Only downfall of this place is having to climb stairs to use the restroom, but it's truly a gem. Good food, great drinks, and better people. read more

How can a place be rowdy, seductive, and an oxymoron all at the same time. This might be it. Starting with the great waitstaff, after being bedraggled by the two couples next to me, one practically screaming, the other practically laughing endlessly, both socially sexualizing at the same time, The place has an ambience of a well spirited vibe from a lot of happy people that partook in all things food, drink, and socializing. But the happening place is at the bar. No question. While I was only there to feed a quick hunger, The whole place left a great impression, especially the walk up three flights of stairs for a beautifully appointed bathroom. This place has to be good if you have to walk up three flights of stairs. I said that before my drink and meal. Expectations were extremely high. This better be good, because the walk up was quite unusual. So now I'm surrounded by the two couples, a tasty beer from iron city, and was served two rock shrimp tacos, which even sounds poetic poetic. That was Apple that left the two poetics in there so I'll leave it in there. The rock shrimp tacos were perfect, super tasty and just right before a classical concert of Mahler's fifth Symphony. Wait staff was great. Was it worth it, I'll be back. Did it cost much? 20 bucks food and drink five bucks tip. I guess the few dollars extra was for the stairs required to get to the bathroom. Ha ha read more

Nachos, no meat were delicious!! Really fun vibes here too, the lighting and music are great. read more

Jose Pistolas - Nachos, no meat - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I ordered chicken nachos to-go and I will not make that mistake again. The chicken was way too salty and the chips were super oily. To top it off, my bill was about 17$ and I didn't even get guac. Only coming back here for drinks in the future. read more

Jose Pistolas - Chicken nachos to go. Definitely not worth the 17$ I had to pay. - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My son and I are traveling and stopped here on a whim. As a Vegan it's very hard to find a great meal. But Jose's delivered! The Brussels Sprout Tacos were amazing! Best I've ever had. My son had the burger and fries and he said it was phenomenal as well! Great find here in Philly! read more

Love the interior, very quaint and ambiance is perfect. Best part was the chicken tacos.. Sooooo good! Service was prompt and our server was awesome. Will definitely be back!! read more

The first time I came to Jose's, I was super impressed by their food. The burritos were awesome and you had a significant amount of meat/food in them aside from rice. I came back for these burritos and couldn't be more disappointed. We were absolutely cheated on how much food we had in these burritos. My friend and I both had burritos which had a total of 2 pieces of meat, which were really fatty and it was all just rice. The wait staff was nice but in terms of food I could have gone to chipotle around the corner for a better tasting, more filled burrito. Have to say, I would not recommend this place to passerby's. read more

Jose Pistolas[1] offers an original selection of beer (plus the usual spate of hard liquor) and Tex-Mex bites. Can't speak to their food, but their drink can keep a group busy for an evening. Friends and I hung around the bar all evening, chatting and causing low-level mayhem. Enjoyed myself - thanks to bartender Casey for introducing a few ciders to me - even though it got cramped after awhile[2]. Luckily, there's more space throughout the restaurant and enough seating for groups of varying sizes. Bathrooms are up on the third floor, which is an adventure to get to; it's a miracle we left safely. [1] I still can't properly say the name of this place. [2] Don't want to imagine this place during happy hour. read more

Got take out lunch tinga tacos along with a side of fries from here for lunch and everything was excellent and fresh. They use a paper board material (that I think might be compostable) for their containers which did a good job of collecting any steam off the hot food so everything stayed crispy and fresh by the time I got back to my office from picking it up. This little detail makes a huge difference in the quality vs polystyrene containers which the steam just collects and makes food soggy. I am super tempted by their take out cocktails but since I don't live downtown it is harder to transport but I would suggest anyone that lives close to definitely check those specials out as well! read more

Jose Pistolas - Chicken tinga tacos - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It's safe to say that I'm a big fan of Jose Pistola's. My visits increased in frequency after several trips during Philly Beer Week (aw!) last year. Their events were beyond amazing and, through them, I was introduced to their nachos. I've yet to find a competitor for the top nachos in Philly. These are ridiculously good. I always get them without the jalapenos because I generally can't do spicy things, but I do add the spicy pork...so I don't know there. Their tacos are also awesome and I love their beer list. There's always an exciting brew to be discovered here. Usually I'll sit downstairs at the bar, but they do have other dining areas. Plus it's a nice stomach settler to climb the three stairs to their restrooms. Talk about privacy. Obviously I will be back at some point and likely soon, but I especially can't wait to see what they have in store for PBW this year! read more

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Excellent food for a bar that serves lots of beer styles and mixed drinks. The different guava and tacos are killer.

Updating my review from 6 months ago.. I should have given Jose's 5 starts a LONG time ago! I come here often, its so close to my house and I always love it. I'm finally updating to 5 stars because I had such a great time tonight! My roomie who usually attends with me could not make it, so I ventured to Jose's alone tonight. It was Philly Beer Week, and Jose's had a sour tap takeover, which I'm in love with sour beers so obviously could not miss it. I sat at the bar upstairs, Jose the bartender, (coincidence?) was the best. So sweet, very knowledgeable about all the beers, and let me sample a few I was unsure about. He was the best! The bar was packed and crowded, but he always made sure my beer was full! I ordered the portobello mushroom tacos, which were amazing. I've had their burritos and nachos before, which I die for, but this was my first taco experience. Just as great! Make sure to get their guacamole, its bangin! Everyone needs to experience Jose Pistolas in their life. The food is killer (especially those nachos!), the bartenders are so friendly and knowledgeable, and everyone is so nice and makes you feel like home. Last and most importantly, the beer selection is always TOP NOTCH for beer nerds like me. One of my FAVE neighborhood bars, by far! read more

My favorite margs! This time we got pomegranate and cucumber flavored - both were great. Got chips and guacamole to share ...very good, never enough guac :( I had the bang bang shrimp tacos which were very good - 2 tacos. I wasn't super hungry so they were filling enough. Our waitress told me these are a favorite. There are so many options though, next time I would probably try something else. Friend got nachos which are always a huge platter/good deal! read more

Jose Pistolas - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The other day I asked my boss what her favorite places are to eat during the pandemic and right away she named Jose Pistola's. She said although a dive bar, her daughters have LOVED the tacos. During this time when me and my boyfriend are supporting businesses we decided to go to Jose Pistola's. We got the pico salsa + chips (the hostess was kind enough to give us 2 bags of tortilla chips which was more than enough), mahi mahi tacos, freedom tacos (basic American hard shell taco), the Korean rib taco, and a side of corn. We decided to take a walk to pick up our food to get out of the house. The hostess was very kind to us that evening. Everything we ordered was delicious! While eating at home I had wished we had a nice cold draft beer to wash it down like we would've at the bar. However, we can remain hopeful that we will be able to do that after the pandemic. If you're searching for a business to support during the pandemic check out Jose Pistola's! read more

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This is more of a 3.5 star joint for me. I've been hear on numerous occasions, but it's typically been for beer events, but had the chance to sit at the main level bar yesterday afternoon, so it's time for a review. Fairly slow at 3:30pm on President's Day and grabbed 2 seats at the bar. Bartender was friendly and engaging to say the least. Started with a pint of Russian River's Blind Pig IPA ($8.50) and ordered the traditional guacamole ($12.50) with chips. Chips are the sturdy, heavily fried kind and they were needed to handle the loaded guac we enjoyed very much. Not overly salty, which is a big plus. Save the salt for the chips. I had to get the catfish tacos (2 for $15). They were served piping hot and 3 heavily fried chunks in each taco, along with tomato, red onion, cilantro, and lime . For $15, you would expect a side of rice/beans or something, but just 2 tacos on a plate is what you get. Tacos were grilled perfectly, so nice crunch. I still left stuffed, so take it for what it is. This region likes to charge top dollar for tacos and I'm not sure exactly why, but they were delicious and would gladly pay for them again. $30 with tip splitting the bill, so not an inexpensive lunch option, but a solid pint, great app and a tasty meal is OK by me. read more

The first time I came here was during off-hours on a Saturday, around 2:30/3:00pm. My fiance and I were two of 8 people in the restaurant, it was super dark and really depressing. I had a house margarita and he had a beer - my margarita was mediocre at best. However, we decided to order the nachos (because...what else?) and that's why we've continued to come back to Jose Pistola's. They really are phenomenal. You won't find any cheez wiz here! Their nachos are topped with refried beans, tomatoes, pickled red onions (sounds weird, but it's delicious), tomatoes and lots of real cheese. Add the guac for an extra $4.00 and you'll be the happiest person. The second time I visited, I had the diablo margarita and once the ice melted down a bit, it was delicious. I'd definitely recommend it over the house. Whatever you do though, make sure to get the nachos! read more

Jose Pistolas - The nachos - highly recommend! - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I have always loved Jose Pistola's. I took my fiancé here for the first time and he said the burrito was the BEST he ever had! We also ordered a strawberry margarita pitcher which was delicious and strong--it hits you unexpectedly! The chips and guac are very tasty and my chicken tinga tacos were *chef's kiss*. Our server was very sweet and attentive as well. You will not be disappointed eating at Jose's. read more

Stopped in for a late night snack and a quick drink. I was excited about the place due to all of the reviews. Arrived and sat at the bar. Was hoping for a little more banter but, you can't always get what you want. Ended up getting the braised short rib burrito. I was disappointed that it didn't come with chips or anything. It had really good flavor and I enjoyed it. Also felt that the portion was a little small. Not sure that I would return. read more

Good churros! Good margarita! Not too busy on the night we visited, bartender was friendly. Nicely decor for Christmas!

Great food, nachos were fresh and the margaritas were amazing. Service was a bit slow but no other complaints.

Must have: mixto cerviche Hard pass: Tuna Tiradito Yelp advice: drink lots of water I came here for to hang out with friends over a small bite to eat. Given I had eaten just prior to arrival, my appetite was slightly diminished so I opted for the guac, cerviche and the tuna tiradito. The mixto cerviche was actually quite decent and for $15, there was a good amount of protein. The tuna tiradito, on the other hand was very salty, and served over a sea of soy sauce that makes me feel parched while writing the review. Unfortunately, the guac was equally salty and required frequent visits to the water jug. The service was indeed very friendly and she really seemed excited to be working, even on a busy Tues evening. I had wanted to try out the tacos, but given they were at least $12 for 2-3 tacos, I decided to pass. read more

Jose Pistolas - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Stopped by while in the city because I am familiar with the Fishtown location under same owners. They make pretty good margaritas. The service is what needs improving. Theresa specifically is not someone you want as your server. Her attitude & lack of customer service skills is the reason I would not return. read more

LOVED the food here! And their margarita pitcher ACTUALLY has alcohol in it and not just sour mix and ice! $18 for nachos is pretty steep so we tried the swordfish gordito ($9) - not as gordo as we expected, but muy delicious! The lamb shoulder burrito was also to die for ($12). I just wish the food came with more food and sides for what you're paying for! Pro tip: if you work in the industry, you get 10% off your bill! read more

The food and service were both excellent. I felt a bit bad for the server because he was the only one here and had to work the tables and bar but did a great job. Everything we ordered was fabulous. The chips, guacamole, chicken tinga tacos, and chicken enchiladas were all fabulous. I ordered the rice and beans as a side too and they were good but not as great as the rest of the food. We're really happy we found this place! read more

I came here on a Thursday night around 6:40pm. It was pretty packed, but my friend and I were seated right away. To drink, I had the Mango Margarita, which was really good and not overly sweet like you might expect it to be. My friend and I shared the Fried Plantains (with honey chipotle and crema fresca) which were amazing. They let you substitute soy chorizo for any protein on the menu, so I got the Pork Belly Tacos and substituted soy chorizo for the pork belly. The tacos came topped with refritos, salsa borracha, crema fresca, and cilantro. I also got a side of Beans and Rice (with pico de gallo and queso fresco). All of the food was delicious, but I was slightly disappointed at the portion size for the tacos. However, I would definitely go back to try some of the other drinks and vegetarian food options. read more

I was not very hungry when I came here, so this review is based solely on the pomegranate mango guacamole and their spicy El Diablo margarita. To preface, I typically do not like having fruit with savory things (ex. Hawaiian pizza, pineapple in stir fry, etc), so I was pleasantly surprised by how well the pomegranate and the mango worked with the guac. That being said, I wasn't a huge fan of the chips - they were a little overly done. As for the marg, it wasn't anything special and I found myself sipping on it just to finish it, as opposed to enjoying it. It's quite loud and dark inside, so I do not recommend this place if you're trying to have an intimate dinner. It was also quite pricey for the quality and quantity of food. Perhaps I am a little harsh in only giving Jose Pistola's three stars, but I can't see myself coming back anytime soon. read more

Jose Pistolas - Pomegranate mango guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great place for Mexican. Nice vibe, friendly bartenders. Food was tasty and fresh. Loved the churros for dessert.

Great service, great food, great bar ambience. Their take away is a Godsend. Support Jose Pistola's & you won't be disappointed.

Ok to decent Mexican place with an above average selection of beer on tap. Ordered a breakfast burrito which did not stand out. I wasnt disppointed with it, but at the same time I wasnt quite happy with it - maybe it was due to the lack of my interest of rice in a breakfast burrito (would have preferred potatoes). I was happy with their selection of Beer on tap, especially having beverages from the Russian River Brewing Company. read more

This restaurant is absolutely disgusting for so many reasons. Some of the bartenders (most) were drunk during my experience last week, slurring their words and spilling things everywhere. The icing on the cake for me was one of the bartenders, Spanish, early 30s was being extremely racist and transphobic. She was having a conversation with someone at the bar and we over heard her. We immediately asked for the check and complained about how dispicable her actions were. The bartender experience was horrible, but I have nothing bad to say about the servers, they were on top of everything! The Spanish girl should be fired, that language made my stomach turn. 1 star for the servers!! read more

Great selection of tacos. Being from Texas, I'm particular about tacos and was extremely pleased to enjoy the ones here. I recommend the Korean Rib tacos and the Fried Catfish ones. You get Russian River beers here so that's a big plus. Friendly staff who leaves you alone if you are dining alone, as I was but checks in occasionally. read more

Jose Pistolas - Korean Rib taco - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First time I've been here in a while!! Came in with co-workers for happy hour on a Thursday. When we first came in it wasn't crowded, we were seated quickly and our server got our drinks started. By the time we left it was PACKED. Happy Hour menu is good for drinks. We got a pitcher of marga for $13!! And it was good!! Unfortunately there was no food HH special, so be prepared for full price food. Bathrooms are on the second floor... not the nicest... so be prepared. Overall, I'd come back for HH again. Not sure if I'd do a full meal though. read more

Jose Pistolas - Plantains with crema & chipotle sauce. - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Chicken tinga quesadilla (or chicken tinga tacos) and cucumber/strawberry margs are top notch here. The brisket bun needs more sauce. Bar tenders were kind to us. They even have happy hour from 10-12am Sunday and Monday. Def recommend!! read more