Took us by surprise! The outside of the restaurant is quite unassuming but as soon as you walk through the doors you're totally transported and forget you're in the middle of the city. Fantastic music playlist to top it all off! We ordered the burrito and quesobirria tacos. Both delicious. For cocktails we ordered Bloody Mary one with vodka and one with tequila, both delicious. We will be returning. read more

La Chinesca - 36oz Modelo - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Stopped in here yesterday as my friend described it as a Chinese-Mexican fusion restaurant. I was immediately intrigued and told her let's try it out. I loved the aesthetic of the place. The outside reminded me of something I'd see in LA. The restaurant very much has retro diner vibes. The inside is very colorful, and there is a beaded entrance that leads to the bathroom. The menu, itself, was a bit limited. We got there around brunch but it was a bit later in the day, so I wasn't necessarily in the mood for breakfast items. I opted to get the General Tso wings with the sauce on the side and the chorizo and shrimp egg roll while my friend opted for the squid salad with wings, too. We both ordered a cocktail. I had the pomegranate spiked lemonade with tequila and my friend had the spiced agua Fresca with whiskey. My drink was definitely on the sweeter side, while hers was more of a smooth drink. The food came out pretty quickly. They first brought out the salad which was massive! We shared that for a bit. It was pretty good, although it seemed to be scant on dressing. Then the wings came out. They seemed to be air fried, not too greasy, and very crisp. The sauce was savory and tangy. Lastly, were the egg rolls. They were unlike any egg rolls I've seen before, but were not short on taste. The shrimp and sausage were plentiful and it was tasty. To be honest, half of it filled me up. Overall, I see this more as an appetizer type of place. Not a place I'd go for a more filling entree. The vibe is nice, and definitely a cool place to visit. My friend mentioned they do a lot of community events which I love. read more

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Good food and tasty drinks. Our group of 6 had a fun visit to La Chinesca on a Sunday evening, sitting downstairs in their basement dining room. The decor' and atmosphere was quite eclectic but created a fun vibe.  We were not sure what to expect with this fusion restaurant, but everything was quite tasty.    The Happy Hour menu had quite a few food and drink specials, which enabled us to try a variety of items before ordering our dinners.  They also have a large drink menu and tequila menu to choose from. The Gas Guzzler cocktail hit the spot with Mezcal and campari.  The wonton "nachos" were delicious and gave a very good swap from traditional corn chips. We also tried the elote, and the crispy pork dumplings, all were very good. For our meals we sampled the carne asada vampiros, carnita tacos, pumpkin tacos, and the Tijuana Street dog.   Everything we tried was very flavorful.  We wrapped up our evening with the churros...delicious!  I will definitely return in nicer weather to sit outside on their amazing patio. This is definitely a good food option while visiting Philly. read more

Sooooo I came back two years later and the menu had an upgrade so let's do another review! When I first came to La Chinesca I had about zero options that were dairy free and pescatarian. Today I got to enjoy the mushroom tacos and tuna tostada and mahi tacos. Everything was amazing without dairy. The won ton chips and salsa served as a delicious appetizer. I had an NA beer as friends had cocktails as well. There was plenty of space inside for all size parties and it was nice watching the rain as the garage doors were open for air. The server was polite and prompt and the food came out quickly. Good improvements, team! read more

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Such a fun place with yummy food. The cocktail was half ice and weak, but that's the only negative feedback. The staff was friendly, the food had good flavor and there were good options for a smaller establishment. I wish it would not have been rainy and cool outside because the outside area would have been a fun place to hangout and enjoy! Definitely visiting again. read more

La Chinesca - Tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great ambiance and presentation of food. Drinks are solid. Interesting concept of fusion of mexican and chinese but most of the dishes dont quite capture it. I do think happy hour is very worth it because of how good the prices are! Recently enjoyed the wonton chips and pumpkin tacos read more

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We had a small dog with us so we were looking for an establishment with outdoor eating space. Think this is suppose to be Mexican-Chinese fusion but unsure if it came through. I ordered the pumpkin tacos which were interesting and flavorful, but the portions were kinda small and I left hungry. I would say the highlight was our server who was attentive and friendly. read more

La Chinesca - Churro French Toast - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I've been wanting to try this place for years. And I just never got the chance. Tonight I made that dream a reality. So really I just thought it looked cool from the outside. That's why I wanted to go in. I liked the picnic benches and yard area. I didn't find out til tonight that the inside is just as cool. It used to be an old auto body garage. I love the way they decorated it. Really stands out. The other thing I didn't realize was that it's Chinese Mexican fusion. Which I never even heard of! Won tons in salsa?!? This is outer space! So the story goes there is a town in Mexico where a bunch of Chinese people immigrated and created this hybrid. See America? Immigrants make things better. We got a chilled cucumber salad and the wonton chips and salsa to start. Cucumber salad was in sesame oil and seeds with cut peppers. So good. The won ton chips came with delicious dipping salsas and a duck sauce. I found it best to mix them. On special they had cactus quesadillas which I wanted to try but I'm avoiding eating too much cheese after my heart attack. So I got fish tacos and my wife got avocado. I gave her one of mine and she gave me one of hers. Fish tacos were better we both agreed. The avocado tacos were good but it was fried and breaded. I could taste the salt. So if that's something you want to avoid like me don't get those. Menu is pretty small which is a nice change. Easier to pick. Def will be back. read more

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We visited La Chinesca again on Friday night (August 29th) and left disappointed. Our waitress put in our food too fast without considering we just started our appetizers, so our tacos and quesadilla come out being cold right there with the AC blasting down on us. I believe it would be a common thing to check on your customers if they're ready for their entrees or not. The General Tso Chicken wings were a miss that night. Very bland and not cooked perfectly like usual. The duck quesadilla was just alright. We had to pack our birria home because we felt rush and unhappy in general. Well, it could be the miscommunication between us and our waitress but it's just not a fun experience, although we visit here pretty often. Gonna take a long break from here before we come back again. read more

Mexican and Chinese food? Sounds like an amazing (albeit bold) combo, right?! Oh boy does it not succeed. When I think Mexican I think light and fresh but the menu does little to fulfill that wish. Almost everything is either fried or drowning in oil. I would love the combination of only there was something that didn't feel so greasy. read more

Stumbled across this super colorful and cute Mexican & Chinese fusion place that had some interesting dishes! There's plenty of seating inside either at the bar or table side, and I've came here twice on the weekend both walk-ins with no wait. The vibe here is giving cool casual and retro! My friend and I were recommended their wonton chips, their birria stuffed scallion pancakes (which was their special), and we also got their carnitas tacos to sample. The wonton chips were definitely an interesting twist, and it came with 3 different sauces (sweet duck sauce, a green salsa, and then something smoky that had a kick to it). The real winner though was the scallion pancake - it was hearty and very good paired together with the birra meat & I think it was a black bean spicy sauce sprinkled on top that brought it together. Would come back for this again! The carnitas tacos were okay, as expected but not a standout. I may come back next time during dinner service to try their fish tacos & carne asada lo mein, which are other popular dishes I've heard of. Service - friendly & helpful. Quick note though, the kitchen is closed Saturday afternoon briefly in between lunch/brunch and dinner, but I believe the bar is still available during this time for drinks. read more

La Chinesca - Fried wonton wrapper chips - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Shared a variety of items everything was fresh, flavorful and delicious! The staff were friendly and quick, while the actual restaurant itself was fun and retro. The wonton chips are a must we loved the sauces I even dipped other items into them, ranging from a sweet duck sauce, to a fresh vibrant green salsa then a smoky one with a little more spice at the end. Dumplings were crispy and packed full of meat with . The baby corn actually surprised me how delicious it was for baby corn they really elevated such a small veggie with so much flavor. Wings and tacos were good as well. The tres leche was AMAZING so thick and creamy with hints of orange and coriander, while still having that quintessential taste you are looking for. All that being said before tip was $84 for 3 people and such quality food and we each got a Mexican soda, will be back! read more

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Great space, especially the back patio. The vibe appears great when you first walk in but the bartenders need a serious attitude adjustment. Every time I ordered a drink from the bar, the bartender acted like I was ruining her life. None of the bartenders were nice or attentive. I came in with my wife and we sat at the bar. I started a tab with the bartender. A bigger group of friends came in and got a table in the back patio, but there wasn't enough space my and wife and I chose to keep our tab open at the bar. We would go hang with our friends in the patio but came back to the bar to order more drinks. The bartender refused to serve me and said she transferred our tab to the back table, which is not what I preferred. It seemed like she was just trying to get rid of us. They were not even that busy at the bar. I've never felt so unwanted as a customer before. Everyone in the group thought that the bartenders and servers seemed annoyed at everyone. Doesn't seem like a good culture there, and the vibe rubs off. There was one server, Matt, who was very friendly and seemed to be the only one who appeared happy to be there. read more

This adaptive reuse of an old automobile service garage with two bays turned into indoor 1960's dining space and the gas pumps replaced by a variety of picnic tables and lawn furniture, makes La Chinesca on Spring Garden an excellent place to brunch, or just hang out on a perfect Saturday in late August. While there are both Mexican and Chinese style cuisines on the menu, this day they remained separate and not fused as I had imagined. I ordered the Fried Avocado Tacos and the new resident of this neighborhood had Bisteck y Huevos. Both were totally Mexican, although there were things like egg foo young and curry fried rice for those preferring Asian tastes. Both were pretty good (I liked the breaded and deep fried, yet sweet and fresh avocado, and son comment the steak was a bit small). Service was superlative, friendly and attractive. The fresh pot of coffee dripped for me made me feel appreciated. 4 Solid Mexi Stars, with a 5th needing something creatively original in the department of fusion. read more

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I came here with a friend for HH and we both had a pretty good experience overall. Apparently, La Chinesca is THE place to be on weekdays since the place had reservations up the heezy. I didn't really understand it, but we were told we could only get a table inside the restaurant even when plenty of tables looked available outside. Once we were seated, our table was pretty small for dining, but we made it work. We ended up ordering a bunch of items from the HH menu. Out of the dishes we ordered, I'm the biggest fan of their carnitas taco and Tijuana street dog. Their wonton chips would've been awesome if it wasn't so heavily salted, since the salsa dipping sauces were also pretty salty. I wouldn't mind trying out their dinner menu next time, and I'm hoping we could get a better table then. read more

La Chinesca - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Wow delicious! The first time my friend and I tried to eat here without a reservation it was like an hour wait so we didn't get to go. This time we made a reservation and it was soooo good! The menu was so cool with drinks that fit the theme of .. cars. And they tasted delicious - mine was both fruity and spicy. The food was incredible. We loved the wonton chips, and we split the fish tacos and avocado tacos which were both delicious! Churros for dessert were good but I think the drinks and tacos stole the show! We sat outside which was cool, and the red light was interesting but maybe did not make it the best for food photo aesthetics except if you used flash. read more

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Wow this place is amazing. I enjoyed the grilled fish tacos (1/3 pictured here)! They were divine. I also order a Hook-a-Louie which was delicious. The jalapeño infused vodka blended perfectly with the pomegranate and ginger. None of the flavors were overwhelming. The weather was lovely and we were happy to eat on the patio. Inside decor is very retro, quirky and cute. Excellent service, too. Can't wait to return! read more

La Chinesca - One of my grilled fish tacos. *chef's kiss* - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and the specials. He was confident, and an excellent communicator. He took pride in his work, as he was always attentive, answered our questions, and checked in periodically to ensure we had everything we needed. Food service was prompt. The food burst with flavor and texture! The food was plated artfully. This is a great place for drinks and an appetizer or two. If you're looking for big plates, this isn't the place. You will need to order a lot more than 3 of anything if you're a big eater. If you're only somewhat peckish, then the portions are acceptable. Some dishes lacked the texture I hoped for. The quesadilla was a bit soggy, and the Carne Asada beef Vampiros was more leathery than crispy when considering it was a fried corn tortilla. Still, the beef spices had me reminiscing about a flavor one can only achieve in California--and La Chinesca definitely nailed that West Coast flavor! I appreciate that the food is an amalgam of cultures, and it is a very thoughtfully curated menu with diverse combinations. It's a great place to go when the weather is perfect outside. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The decor is quirky with pink neon lights, and a 50s, spacey kind of vibe. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and will keep this restaurant in rotation for date night or hang out with a few friends. read more

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Wow! This is in old Jiffy Lube with mid-century modern vibes and fresh, delicious Mexican-Chinese fusion food. I went with the carnitas and a Jalisco with Rum. Sat at the bar and the food same surprisingly fast. The perfect portion size and seriously so good! Definitely a must if you're in the Philly area. read more

La Chinesca - Carnitas - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We finally stopped in with some friends after passing this place so many times, and we were not disappointed. It's so cute and everything fits in with the autobody shop theme. I really felt like I was transported to Southern CA/Mexico border! We ordered the fried wonton chips and prok dumplings for the table. I thought the wonton chips were a really fun twist and worked really well. The dumplings were also super tasty. For my entre, I got the quesabirria tacos; flavorful and paired great dipped in the thick consome! We also ordered the churros but they were too good and gone before I could take a photo! read more

La Chinesca - Birria tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Truly revolting food - many items were left uneaten after one bite (haven't experienced this in a LONG time or honestly, ever). The egg rolls were not crispy at all, and had an unusual bland filling. The general tsos wings were a whopping $20 and i had trouble even eating one of the wings bc of how stinky they were and the lack of flavor on the inside (could tell they were probably injected with hella hormones to make them look big and plump which took away all of their flavor). The fish tacos, however, were the most epic fail of the night. Drier than the sahara dessert, hardly any sauce, smelt terrible, and tasted like feet. Swallowing even one bite was a feat. The carne asada vampiros were JUST ok, the tijuana hotdog was fine... The only redeeming qualities were the mocktails, which were actually quite yummy, and the outdoor patio seating. read more

Had a few cocktails and small plates. Everything was spectacular. General Tso's wings were an absolute highlight. I can't wait to be back in Philly to visit again. Service is fast and pleasant, even on a busy night. read more

Considering this appeared on Philly's top 50 I was expecting a higher level quality of food and service. I found both to be pretty meh. Our server recommended the four of us to share food which we did. It would have been nice to know how many of each thing came in an order. Splitting one little duck egg roll between four people really wasn't ideal and for $19 I thought that the serving of tuna carpacio was very small. There were a lot of crisps on the plate to put the tuna on and no tuna to put on them. Again this serving size would have been a nice appetizer for one person but was awkward to share among four people. The fish tacos which came with two tacos had a lot of fish but I didn't think the quality of the fish was great and our fish was overcooked. Our server disappeared for a long time. We were prepared to get the check but she was nowhere to be found. It was a cute place and although I didn't try a cocktail the drinks looked good but I hate to say that I was underwhelmed and it didn't meet maybe my overly inflated expectations that I had of it. read more

La Chinesca was a fun date night spot that was fine, but did not meet our expectations. It lured us in with the theming and aesthetic of an auto body shop and the promise of some of our favorite Chinese dishes in taco form. The staff was quick and kind; some of the menu was a little confusing and our server kindly walked me thru my order. The Wonton Chips were good but the flavors of the Salsas and Wontons didn't mesh as well as we would've hoped. The egg rolls and tacos were good, but they had more spice than flavor (we prefer flavor to spice). My partner is Cantonese, so we were expecting those flavors walking in, but it seems that La Chinesca has more of a Sichuan foward menu. We were particularly looking forward to the Char Siu Chicken tacos, but they lacked the signature glaze that we expect in Cantonese Char Siu. Nothing wrong with that, it just wasn't what we expected. The Gear Shift, a spiked bottle of Jarritos of your choice (pineapple/vodka for me), was honestly the highlight of the night. I could totally see myself returning for a quick bite for happy hour, but I don't think we'll be returning for a full meal. read more

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We found this place accidentally and are very happy about it! The atmosphere is really cool and fun. The staff was friendly, social and knowledgeable about the menu. The drinks were crafted well. The food was a great Mexican Chinese fusion and delicious! Definitely worth a visit. read more

La Chinesca - Well crafted cocktails! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The food was ok - I was a fan of the baby corn elote! The tacos all had dry proteins - The birria, the chicken, and the fish alike. The service was spotty. It wasn't very busy toward the end and it took us about 30 minutes to have a chance to ask for our check. No water refills. Probably wouldn't come back read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a while and it didn't disappoint. Loved the vibes and decorations. The drinks were fantastic and the service was excellent. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. The ribs were great and I loved the sauce that came with them. We also got a few different tacos. Lastly we got the hotdog. I thought I was gonna love it but that was actually the only thing we didn't like. But overall great place and will definitely be back in the summer! read more

La Chinesca - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've been wanting to try this place for a while but finally did on Sunday. I love the decor and overall the food was really good. We started with the Wonton Chips (7.5/10) and the sauces were really good especially the duck sauce. We also got the Shrimp and Chorizo egg rolls (5/10) and I expected them to have more flavor, don't think I would get them again. Finally my main was the Scallion Sauce Pancake (8/10) that I got based on my waiter's recommendation and it didn't disappoint! Very hearty and flavorful. We had great service as well and that stuck out. I would definitely go back! read more

La Chinesca - Wonton Chips - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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On a hot summer night my husband and I and a friend dined here before a concert. A refreshing Gas Guzzler (mezcal, Campari, grapefruit, and lime) was a perfect refresher. Our waitress was nice and friendly and asked us about any dietary restrictions. Our friend cannot have dairy so she brought out a chart of food to meet his needs. My husband's fish tacos and our friend's lo mein carne asada came out quite fast while my tuna tostada, which doesn't involve any cooking was served fifteen minutes after theirs. I patiently waited for it while watching them enjoying their meal. My tuna tostada worth the wait. Beautiful and Instagram worthy plating. Crispy and thin fried tortillas topped with fresh guacamole soy-marinated tuna and small dices of watermelon, garnished with micro greens. The red and green from the watermelon and the garnish are a beautiful contrast to the white plate. I definitely recommend this. I had one of the fish tacos. The batter wasn't crispy and quite salty. Not a fan. The ambiance reminds me of the 70s diner. read more

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Wow! Does this place do an interesting combination of Mexican and Chinese cuisine. The place is an awesome brunch, dinner, and late night spot all in one. This restaurant used to be a car shop and you can tell with how the doors look very garage like. Side note, I didn't realize they actually have downstairs seating on top of their indoor/outdoor seating. We sat at the bar and it was pretty crowded. The bartender was pretty attentive to us. We ended up getting wonton chips which were delicious. They were so light and crisp. They had several sauces as well such as the duck sauce, salsa verde, and salsa roja. The duck sauce was definitely the best of the sauces (felt like I went to a healthy Chinese corner store). The cocktails are interesting. While they weren't my favorite, they do make a mean plain margarita (you can ask for spicy powder on it too if you like a kick). read more

La Chinesca - Wonton Chips - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cool old gas station. Retro vibe. Themed drinks and menu looks like an old car shop pay sheet Friendly servers. Took a table of 5 without a reservation. Fill it, regular- classic marg. Good tequila flavor without being overwhelming. Fresh lime flavor. Chilled Cucumbers- chilled and crunchy. Good flavor with a slight hint of spice. Carnitas tacos- good. Slightly spicy. Corn tortilla is very chewy and hard to bite through. Pork dumplings- way too spicy. Too much pepper in the sauce that the dumplings are drenched in. Spice made them almost inedible. read more

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Sat immediately as we got in. Staff was very friendly and the vibe of this places rocks. Low light, good music, and a wide variety of drinks. The food was good, surprisingly the standout dish was the salt and pepper squid salad. That's a definite order. Had a michelada that was pretty solid too. Only let down was the dessert. The tres leche cake was not as moist as a traditional tres leche cake is, but still good. Overall vibes are great, decent spot in Philly! read more

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My friends and I got the Peking duck tacos, General Tso's chicken wings, pork belly bao buns, and the salt & pepper squid caesar salad. I like the idea of the menu, and the food was good, but nothing spectacular. The squid was a bit salty on the caesar salad, even for being salt & pepper. The wings were a little dry, but the buns and the taco were pretty good. The service was really good, and everything came out very quickly. Our server was also very sweet and provided us a chorizo egg roll in addition to our meal. The egg roll was very greasy, like maybe the temperature of the oil wasn't hot enough. There's lots of seating available, and we had the opportunity to sit outside since they opened up the front doors. A fun spot to hang out, but the food could be improved overall. read more

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:: :: Happy hour here is heaven; here's the hype and highlights :: :: -- staples done well -- all their tacos and margaritas strike the difficult balance of being high quality and affordably priced "fill it, regular" is the DOC. -- unique menu offerings -- with a menu ft. mexican-chinese fusion some of my faves are the pumpkin, tinga and carnitas tacos. -- decor -- for me, the gas-station theme + neon lights + desert-y landscaping dredges up Palm Springs vibes, really no other place like it in Philadelphia -- patio seating -- though I've yet to experience it when it's warm enough to be open, they set out blankets for those wanting to weather the cold! La Chinesca currently holds position #1 for my favorite Philly restaurant and is my clear favorite for Happy Hour. Not likely to be unseated anytime soon. read more

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I like this place. The food is an interesting combination. The drinks are good. There usually is space; even a great little indoor area. The downstairs is cool-- since the restaurrant is a converted garage, this is where they worked on teh cars. I will say, its a bit dark down there but still fun! read more

Pretty good experience at this restaurant! We went for some food and drinks before a show at union transfer- perfect location if you are looking for something to eat before heading to a concert. Absolutely love the ambiance, retro and very trendy on the inside. Unfortunately the weather was not nice- would have loved to check out the outside more. Drink menu was awesome- highly recommend the hook-a-Louie cocktail. We ordered wings and the corn appetizer. I do not eat meat however the wings were said to be delicious, flavorful and not dry at all. The corn was a play on Mexican style street corn but using baby corn. The dish was good, however way toooooo seasoned. Looking back I should have sent it back because I don't think it was supposed to be that salty. I drank the entire jug of water at our table afterwards. Slightly disappointed which is why I bumped this to 4 stars but again, I should have said something. The staff was so welcoming and friendly I'm sure they would have taken care of that. My partner RAVED about the quesabarria tacos to the point he called our waiter over to tell them. The pumpkin tacos were delightful. The glaze and pepitas were a great touch. Looking forward to coming back to this place again to sit outside. Great atmosphere and a fun food fusion! read more

La Chinesca - Pumpkin tacos and Quesabirria Tacos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Delicious! Happy hour menu is great, drinks and food are very good and fairly priced.

I'm gonna keep this review super simple: La Chinesca is BUENISIMO people! The server told me (and my wife) that it was Philadelphia's first Mexicali restaurant. I was inspired by a neighborhood in Mexicali (called La Chinesca), occupied by both Mexican and Chinese residents. It inspired me to do a little bit of research on the neighborhood and there's a lot of great history that's worth reading up on. Anyway, our server let us know that we would be experiencing a unique mix of Mexican and Chinese flavors and found that to be spot on in what we tried. The vibrant flavors in the cuisine match the colorful, retro diner themed interior that is both casual and thoughtfully designed. There are tons of places to sit indoors and outdoors but it was a bit warm that day so my wife and I decided to stay indoors. My eyes could not help but take in all of the beautiful design touches in the place. There were collages of vintage car magazine pages and posters adorning the walls which seemed odd to me at first until I found out that it was once a Jiffy Lube! It was a fun homage to its past and is a little more easily seen downstairs in "The Basement," which is their bar/lounge area. My wife and I weren't too hungry so we really only got a few things. To drink, I got the "Gear Shift" which is a grapefruit Jarritos topped with gin, and my wife got a spiked watermelon agua fresca, both were refreshing and delicious. For lunch, I got the shrimp fried rice and my wife got the birria breakfast tacos. Fairly simple sounding dishes but they honestly packed a ton of flavor. The serving sizes were more than enough for us and I actually had to get a to-go box for mine. I would LOVE to come back again to try more things the next time I'm back in Philly. The group that owns this place has a few other concepts that I'm very interested in trying as well. Hope whoever is reading this enjoys their experience as much as I did! read more

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We stopped in to La Chinesca for lunch last weekend during our first visit to Philly and this was definitely one of our favorite meals of the trip. Luckily it was super chill when we arrived so we were able to take all the interior pics and swoon over the design of the space... I'm in love! Both the indoor and outdoor patio seating areas are such a vibe with a beautiful bar area inside, amazing artwork, and the color palette of my dreams. Our server took the time to explain the concept as Philly's first Mexicali dining experience featuring influences from Mexico alongside Chinese American flavors. We started off with some refreshing drinks -- I got their fresh watermelon agua fresca spiked with tequila and my partner got a grapefruit Jarritos topped off with gin which they call a Gear Shift. For food, I got the Birria Breakfast Tacos (braised beef, topped with scrambled egg, Chihuahua cheese, onion, cilantro, and salsa roja) which were highly recommended by our server. These two tacos were absolutely packed with both ingredients and flavor. I loved the birria meat combined with the amazing cheese. My partner got the shrimp fried rice which he also really enjoyed. The portions were very generous and we were stuffed. After our meal, we went downstairs to explore their basement which has a more moody ambiance/nightlife feel. There wasn't anything happening down there that early, but I can see this being a super fun lounge in the evenings. This is such a great, unique spot in Philly and we'd definitely go back the next time we're in town! read more

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I am going to be one of the ones who doesn't like La Chinesca. Perhaps I need to try the Mexican side of the menu. The drinks were solid and the cute banera option to add spicy tomato juice and like is the bet. However you can get two shots off of the banera option. Remember that, save $. The food was too salty. I mean my lips and fingers definitely swole up. The wings were covered in the sticky salty sauce. The steak lo mein same thing. The ribs... yup. Salty. They are so so kind! They took off the cucumbers (salty and odd flavorings) and wings (not just salty but also huge!) we even tried the churros. No, not salty, but perhaps Thursday night is when they change the oil. Dark in color and ghost taste. My wife and I started looking around because it was plenty of people there. However, they were either at the bar (good drinks!) or eating from the Mexican side of the menu. This corner has bad juju for me. Juno is directly across the street. A popular place with cuteness and food that has 0 flavor. La Chinesca, so saturated in salt they could share with Juno. Staff, manager and bar are great people. I don't think we the only ones that have this reaction of their food. This menu is just not for us. read more