I've eaten here three times and found the food to be consistently very good, the service attentive and friendly, the decor and atmosphere cheery, comfortable, and welcoming. The mixed drinks are quite tasty, the guacamole superior, salsas with the chips above average- plus, they bring both a mild salsa cruda and spicy salsa picante with high quality chips. And the entrees....never had a bad meal here, nor have my dining companions. The enchiladas verdes were prepared well and, as with most of their dishes, offered a more than adequate portion size. The sides were good and appropriate. The people I was with had the pulled pork and the spicy shrimp. Both tasted great and offered substantial portions, though I thought the shrimp was a little tame given its description. The dining room is crowded and I've always had to wait for a table here....but it's well worth it! Best Mexican food I've found in Philadelphia. read more

Absolutely AMAZING food! We stopped in here to fill up after working the long weekend at the Philly Tattoo Convention and it was better than we could have even hoped for! The soup that I had was ridiculously delicious. The hot molten bowls of meaty goodness that the boys ate had them drooling for more, even after their stomachs were completely full. The only thing that I regret is not having room for desert... read more

My party of four arrived promptly for our 7:45 reservation. By 8:45, we were tired of standing in the cramped front of the restaurant, waiting for our table. We left and went around the corner to Stella where we were seated promptly. After waiting for over ten minutes for someone to acknowledge us (the bartender and three different servers saw us standing there but ignored us), we had to flag down someone to tell them we'd arrived. A few minutes later, someone came over and told us that our table wouldn't be ready till 8:15. By that point, we'd already been there almost fifteen minutes, so what was another fifteen? Well, the fifteen came and went. A table of four that had gotten there AFTER us were seated. We heard them say that their reservation was at 8:00 (remember, ours was for 7:45). Meanwhile, an empty four-top with a "reserved" sign sat in front of us. They told us they couldn't seat us there because a party of 11 was coming in soon. The 11 didn't arrive the entire hour we sat there waiting, yet they wouldn't seat us there. Then, they looked at us again and said "Oh, there are only four of you? We thought there were eight of you. We could've sat you at that other table" (where the 8:00 reservation sat down). For the next half hour, they checked up on us every five minutes. "Just a few more minutes," they'd say. But still we sat there. We finally asked to see the manager. The hostess disappeared in the back and never came back out, at least not for more than five minutes. By this time, we'd been there for a full hour, so we left. Good riddance. I've never seen such a level of inattention, miscommunication, and ineptitude. I will never, EVER return to this place. It's a joke. read more

This place is outstanding. I've gone there 3 times now, twice for brunch and once for a friend's birthday party. It's a small spot and we were a party of 12 and got a bit rowdy on account of all the tequila, but the staff couldn't have been nicer. The food is always great and the micheladas are completely addictive but where this place really shines is the service. They're warm, friendly and inviting and every time I leave, I can't wait to go back. I honestly could not recommend another place in this town higher than Las Bugambilias. read more

Absolutely best Mexican food in Philly!!! My boyfriend and I came here during our visit to Philly. We ate everything off our plates and wanted to get more food but we were so full!!! The margaritas are also very good. Definitely recommend this place if you're in the area!!! read more

Always so good, and the new location is beautiful! Awesome margarita, ceviche,, enchilada verdes and Camarenas mojo. Our server (Librado) was amazing. Glad to have this gem... read more

It seems like I'm always obligated to separate my review between the food and the service. The food was great. Simply put. We had some tortilla chips with two different salsas, one was mild and one was spicy. Both were good. My fiance ordered the enfrijoladas. She normally doesn't like black beans, but she said the black bean sauce was delicious. I ordered the Pescado Tikin Xil/Yucateco, which was done perfectly. The shrimp and sauce on the fish was perfectly balanced. The side dish of rice was also great. Based solely on the food, we will be back. However..... The service was a different story. We were seated promptly. Our waitress came over and asked what we wanted, not "Do you want something to drink?". So, we ordered both drinks and food all at once. My beer was served to me quickly; however, my fiance's drink sat on the bar for literally 10 minutes. I had to flag down our waitress to retrieve her drink. After our food was delivered, it took our waitress another 10 to 15 minutes to come over to ask how our food was. It just seemed that she was trying to do too much, with waiting tables (maybe too many?), seating people, and clearing tables. Also to note, a family sitting next to us were seated by the time we got there and received their food after we were finished eating. Overall, we loved the food, didn't like the service, and am hoping next time we go the service will have improved. read more

Didn't get to take a picture of it... but I highly recommend the ceviche!! The tacos pastor (Achiote marinated pork, onion, cilantro, and grilled pineapple) is delicious too. read more

Las Bugambilias - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I came here for a farewell party for my wife. We ordered the Medallon Oaxaca (filet with 2 jumbo shrimp) and the enchilada verde. We also got an order of guac with chips. The food was very good. The filet was cooked perfectly rare with it topped with cheese. The jumbo shrimp were also done very well. My wife's enchilada verde was done very well and she enjoyed it thoroughly. I ate what she couldn't (because I am her garbage disposal) and it was very good. The service was friendly and attentive. If you are a bigger group, like we were, your dinners will come out at significantly different times (but that was alright with us). Some dishes seemed reasonably priced and others seems a bit expensive - like the guac. $9.50 for an ice cream scoop size seems expensive. But my filet with shrimp for $23 was a great deal. So overall, I think this is a pretty good place to come for some really good Mexican. BTW, if you are driving here and need to park in a garage, park in the Abbott Square parking lot. They validate for $10 parking.... read more

Celebrated a friend's 40th Bday here last night and had a wonderful time. It is a cozy little place. Read: there isn't much seating and the bar is only 5 stools, but they pack a lot of punch in this very small space. I do recommend reservations if you are going on the weekend, as it was pretty full on a Tuesday night! First off, the staff was incredibly accommodating. We had 2 folks show up unexpected and the staff asked the couple at the table next to us if they would mind moving to another table...doesn't hurt to ask right? They had no issue with this suggestion and we soon had our party seated. The couple that moved got some complimentary guacamole and chips from the staff, altho they declined our offer of Birthday cake... Our server was incredibly friendly, attentive, patient (with our large group) , and helpful. Nachos\Salsa out for munching, water glasses filled promptly, any issues dealt with promptly. We were seated near the door and it was a little cool...asked our server to close the outer door, which she did, then immediately went to the thermostat and turned up the heat! We had quite a variety of food at the table and everyone was pleased! I had the pork chops which were seasoned to perfection. ordering pork chops at a Mexican restaurant is a little outside of my comfort zone, but i was very pleased! I do not care for Seviche, but apparently they make a very good one here as our table ordered 4 of them and raved about the flavor. I also had the hand squeezed lemonade with a touch of cinnamon\clove. My girlfriend did NOT care for the additional flavor, but i found it tantalizing! We brought our own Birthday Cakes which the servers brought out after dinner. I was slightly disappointed as i had heard wonderful things about the tres leches cakes they have, but that will have to wait for another visit. I did try the Mexican hot chocolate which they make over the stove by melting dark chocolate bars into hot milk. This is also touched with a little Cinnamon on top which was a lovely addition. All in all, a wonderful night at Las Bugambilias and I highly recommend you checking them out! read more

This was a spur of the moment decision. One of us wanted Mexican food, a quick yelp search and we were on our way. It was both our first times there, though we questioned why given that it received such high marks. We had a hard time deciding but finally settled on guacamole, empanadas for appetizers. For the entrees, I had the Chalupa Veracruz. It was very clean and light, just enough flavor. It didn't blow my mind though. It seems like one of those dishes that many restaurant has, whether it's Italian or Mexican or Asian. Your basic seafood in a tomato based broth. But again, it was good. My friend had the Chile Rellenos. Now that was a little more impressionable. Nice messy blend of flavors that all go well into the provided tortilla wraps. For dessert, we had the Tres Leches Chocolate cake. Although our dessert options were limited due to many being sold out (I think that's a good thing right?), this cake did not disappoint. The service was very friendly too. The only thing is that I thought the prices were a smidgen high. Just a smidgen though. read more

This place does an excellent job at creating a mexican meal and cute atmosphere. We started with the ceviche mixto - It was without flaw. It had the perfect amount of lime and the avocado stood out as being the best I've had in recent memory(not sure why that would be...maybe its just how they slice it into thin cubes). Their chips and salsa= Above Average We had the grouper veracruzana and enchiladas. The enchiladas were good but the grouper was better. I highly recommend this establishment. read more

The first time that I was fortunate enough to experience Las Bugambilias (which, despite being a reasonably intellegent person, I am incapable of pronouncing correctly), I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by 3 of my impressively carnivorous friends, and our performance did not disappoint. I do not recall our exact meal as it was about a year ago, but suffice it to say that we left no menu item unturned on that blissfully indulgent evening. I love Mexican food and will enjoy it from Taco Bell to Lolita. However, Las Bugambilias is different than any Mexican restaurant at which I have dined. The menu has some different flavors than is typical and the dishes are really bursting with flavor but somehow do not overwhelm the complimentary items on the plate. I ordered the hangar steak in my most recent visit and not only what the steak extremely flavorful but the sauce was divine and it went stunningly well with the mole enchilada that comes on the same plate and lasted there for about 2.4 seconds. From what I have heard, the pork entree (which made top 100 meals you have to try in Philly or something like that) is groundbreaking. Why 4 stars and not 5? Well, I'm becoming stingy in my advanced age and I don't want to give 5 stars to a restaurant where I am not absolutely sure that the operation is 100% consistent. I did have a meal that was a bit overcooked and a steak that was tough. This is nitpicking, however, and I would strongly suggest stopping by for dinner and/or drinks. read more

Absolutely love this little Mexican place. My sister and I had so much fun here. The food is just delicious! Definitely recommend the taco pastor!! read more

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This place is really adorable. The restaurant is very small and narrow. Even for the waitress to walk in the aisle to serve the food seemed a challenge. As you can imagine its a very tight fit. The menu had a ton of wonderful options to choose from. I was pleased to see even vegetarian options. My husband and I enjoyed our meals. read more

This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant in philadelphia! The food was incredible. Everything was fresh and sinful. Really enjoyed the nachos. I had a coal plate with shrimp steak and chicken and my boyfriend had chick quesadillas. What a nice find, if only we would have found sooner. Will certainly be back! read more

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Went for brunch on Sunday. 4.5 stars. Buffet was 15.00. Nice variety of sweet bread, coffee, traditional dishes, and a few unique options. The buffet comes in phases so try to get there at 12. Entrees were wonderful. Huevos con carne. Steak was awesome. The pechuga poblana was dynamite as well. Poblano sauce remarkable. Service was perfect. 4 stars because it wasn't off the charts - but it is authentic and prices are reasonable. Bloody Mary was meh.... We will be back. It's better than good - close to great. read more

Las Bugambilias - Huevos con carne - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is why yelp is so good. Tried finding a place to eat while staying in Philly again and others reviews helped choose a really good place. I love chili relleno's and this didn't disappoint. Very tasty! The chips for pre-meal were delicious too. read more

Las Bugambilias - Chile Relleno for the win - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Firstly, reservations are a must! Extremely tiny establishment, but it has the effect of being intimate and cozy, not claustrophobic. I was quite impressed with the quality of the food at Las Bugambilias (thank you Yelp for telling me about it). The dishes were authentic and of a high quality. I ordered the enchiladas poblanos, which arrived at the bar with beans, rice, and a small lettuce salad. The enchiladas themselves were stuffed with chicken and covered in melted cheese, with pureed pepper sauce draped all over them. Delicious! The portions were not so large that I needed to take them home, but big enough that I was completely satiated. The wait staff was excellent and catered to our every need and then some. I very much appreciated the side of guacamole that arrived only because they heard me talking about it. read more

Las Bugambilias has got to be my favorite Mexican restaurant in the city. The guacamole and ceviche are absolutely delicious and as fresh as it gets. Seafood lovers, order the Enchiladas del Mar smothered with the poblano sauce. you won't regret it! And sure, the space is small, but it's never been a problem. I've had a company dinner here once and they were able to accommodate 15 of us without any problems. read more

Came here with my boyfriend's brother & fiance, as it is apparently their favorite Mexican restaurant in Philly. It was a smaller place but loved the decor. The food was delicious, bright, and fresh - definitely the most authentic Mexican I've had. We got the mixto ceviche as an appetizer which started to fill me up already in combination with the chips and salsa. Entrees were a shrimp dish, bacon covered chicken (can't go wrong there), and a fried whole fish, all served with either rice/beans/salad or a combo of those. The black beans were too salty in my opinion but I cared more about the main course anyway which was delicious. We asked for extra garlic and they piled it on, which added to the taste. I never heard of this place...it's located close to Xochitl so perhaps it's been overshadowed, but is well worth trying. read more

A great little, hidden Mexican place that's well decorated, got a good vibe, and a place where actual Spanish people go to eat, (I heard Spanish!) Our waitress was so kind to offer my party a taste of their guac after we talked about reading about the guac online! I had the Mole Traditionale, which was delish, but only order if you like Mole sauce.... it was very Mole-ey. Make Reservations! it's small! read more

I eat Mexican food... As often as humanly possible! I've eaten it everywhere. NJ, Texas, Mexico, England, Bulgaria, South Korea, Germany, you name it! This is a pretty awesome spot for the entire tri-state area. One of my new favorites! I'm only upset I didn't find it sooner! First and foremost, the margaritas are spot on! Chips come free :) with a tasty salsa! I always ask if they have a spicy one, since usually the traditional salsa at places don't have enough kick for me... but BOTH were delicious! We ordered the chicken quesadillas to start for some reason (I rarely order quesadillas). WOW!! Might be my favorite EVER! Delicious! For my entree, I ordered the enchiladas verde and I couldn't have chosen better!! Slightly spicy, but not too much for those who are a little sensitive. My boyfriend ordered the enchiladas de mole, which he LOVED! Rice and beans came with both dishes and were similar to most good restaurants. Yum! Word for the wise, make a reservation. It is fairly "tight" inside and fills up FAST! It's a perfect place for a causal dinner or a date night out! Can't wait to go back!! read more

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Excellent. Definitely the best Mexican food in Philly. I'm sure some weirdos on here will complain about a random server not smiling at them or that their left foot was cold during dinner or that their mother-in-law ordered "fay-jeetas" and was disappointed they didnt have them- but fuck all that. This place is amazing and if you don't like the food maybe Mexican isn't your thing. read more

The food was fresh and delicious. The drinks were great! My new favorite Mexican restaurant. :) I loved the salsa. My daughter loves the guacamole. The waitress was pleasant and the time spent there enjoyable. read more

Las Bugambilias - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here with Restaurant.com certificate and the waiter tried to initially say that they would not accept it. When I asked to speak to the manager he changed his tune and said they would accept the coupon. After that initial scam, I tried to focus on the positives of the place. The seating is somewhat compact and you will hear all the conversations around you. I like the fish tacos and give Las Bugambillias praise for their excellent preparation and presentation. I will return here, but I will be prepared, unfortunately, to put up a fight for any discounts that they advertise and then try to withdraw from. P.S. - The bartender is very good and the manager is excellent. Waitstaff leaves room for improvement. read more

Great atmosphere and a buzzing South Philly location, but to me this is middle of the road Mexican, made by Gringos for Gringos. It just lacks that south of the border authentic flair, that could take it to greater heights. The fresh made chunky guac and house made tortilla chips were the highlight of the meal; don't order here without it. To drink, the coconut mojito should be your goto cocktail, refreshing and pairing perfectly with the Mexican fare in front of you. This place is a great night out, but food wise it's clear this ain't quite Cali and for darn sure not quite Mexico. Más o menos -SZ read more

My bf and I went here on a random weekday just narrowly missing happy hour (sad face). Any who, I stumbled upon this place when I visited Paddy Whacks next door for a paint nite event. I ran out to pay my meter before it was up and seen a women outside eating what looked like a delicious spread of food. So of course I looked up their yelp reviews and knew I had to schedule a visit. With my boyfriend in tow, we had an amazing experience. Their was only one waitress when we dined but that did not slow down or cheapen the service in any way. All items where fresh, hot, and prompt. The waitress did an amazing job of answering any questions we had about the menu and of course the food and drinks were great. I can't think of one compliant. If you're in the area, you won't be disappointed. read more

Las Bugambilias - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Very, very, VERY good. And even though it's not a BYO, the wine is the most affordable I've seen. Great experience. read more

This is a neighborhood gem! I love Mexican food so when my friend who live just one block away mentioned the restaurant I already had a feeling I would like it - and I did. The friendly service, authentic Mexican décor and cozy atmosphere alone deserves a full 5 stars! However, I was reviewing the overall experience and because I wasn't completely satisfied with my main dish I gave it 4 stars. I will be back for sure! It is a small restaurant but on a weeknight we had no problem getting a table for two. And we were there just in time to enjoy a happy hour drink special which ends at 7pm. $5 house made sangria or margaritas. I had a white sangria and my friend ordered a red sangria for the happy hour special. The white sangria was good - not too sweet but just the right blend of fruity flavors. We ordered guacamole as an appetizer to go along with the complimentary chips and salsa. There are two salsas - mild and spicy. The mild one is a traditional pico de galla and the second one as our waitress called 'spicy' was really HOT! I love spicy food so without hesitation I put a small spoonful of it on a chip and bit in but wow to my surprise my eyes started tearing because the spice was so powerful. It turns out there are habanero peppers in it and that is why it's so spicy. In smaller does it's really good but just beware! For my entrée I ordered the Enchiladas Del Mar which were stuffed with shrimp, crab and lobster meat served with rice and sautéed zucchini. The enchiladas were smothered in a chipotle sauce and lots of cheese. I was surprised there was so much cheese but that added a lot of flavor to the dish. The sauce was really flavorful too. However, I was disappointed that there was not a very good portion of seafood in the enchiladas. There were a few baby shrimp in each, a forkful of crab meat and I didn't see any lobster but it may have been mixed in well. My friend ordered Mole Chicken Enchiladas and they were really good! Lots of chicken filled the rolled up tortillas and it was covered in a rich mole sauce. She loved her dish and I think I will order that next time. read more

This is my favorite mexican restaurant in the city (maybe even just my favorite restaurant period). The bf gets a steak wrapped around a pepper while I always get the mole enchiladas. I swear, their mole sauce is like nothing else in this world. Other places try but can't match this place -- they have the perfect balance of chocolate and spices. The plates are pretty huge -- the enchiladas include 3 enchiladas, a salad, beans, and rice. Each table also gets complimentary chips and salsa, both of which taste freshly made. Together this is enough for 2 meals! Yes, the space is tight, but I think that's what adds more charm to this place. Never had bad service either. The margs are expensive but strong and tasty! read more

My wife and I went to be gambilias on memorial day to have dinner, being surprised it was open. Being Mexican both of us, we got really excited when we look at the menu. We left without ordering. I get it, it's a holiday, but 20min to ask for our drinks is way too much. Then when we finally ordered two beers we were left there to wait again. After 20 min with no beers we decided to leave. Can't believe it take that long to open a bottle and bring it to the table. Especially when the place is not even half full. We were really hungry when we walked in, so by the time we left I was already starting to get hangry and my wife wasn't feeling good. We sat on the bar next door and got our beers and food within 20min. While eating at the bar, bugambilias' waitress bolted out of the place asking everyone around if they had seen a customer walk out... They were loosing it today. We might come back another less hungry time to try the menu and see how authentic it is. But today the service sucked. read more

First impression when I walked in- super small spot and kinda quiet.... I was apprehensive to try a new spot but my friend suggested we try it out... Ok so since they have like 8 tables in the whole restaurant, you should probably make a reservation. Didnt know it was a cubicle restaurant, so we had no idea about the reservations. We just walked in and sat at the bar but that was uncomfortable so we moved to the one vacant table. Our drinks were pretty good and strong. The nachos were good, not the best ever, but good. Now our entrees were meh... Not too impressed... Friendly staff and great waiter, but it wasnt a remarkable experience that would call for a repeat visit. I guess I'll go back to my regular spots or try another mexican spot. Sorry guys.... read more

Las Bugambilias - House margarita! Fresh! Yummy! - Mexican Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Place is not bad however it's gone down hill and there are much better Mexican places in the city to eat. Had dinner recently and my order was not correct although the waiter was very good about making it so. They sell $11 margaritas but don't have margarita glasses and the glasses that you get are ridiculously small probably less than 3 ounces. I looked at my check and I was charged $2.50 for a glass of seltzer water. Won't be returning anytime soon and I have been a very loyal customer. Go to Blue Corn. read more

Love this place. Used to go to the old location and enjoyed it every time. The drinks, food and service. We just stopped by for a drink at the new location. Still good drinks and friendly service. read more

I love this place. Food wise: I have yet to try a dish I have not found to be delectable. This includes the Enfrijoladas (chicken), Enchiladas (chicken), Mango salad, and Molcajete Pollo. The chips and salsa (hot & mild) are fresh, albeit, a relatively small portion. The mango salad consists of thinly sliced mangos on a bed of greens with a vinaigrette dressing. It is very good, but could use more mangos. The main dishes are full of flavor, without being overwhelming or heavy. The black bean sauce on the Enfrijoladas is scrumptious. The Molcajete can be ordered with chicken, shrimp, and/or steak and is excellent for sharing. The house margaritas are a solid 7 out of 10. The atmosphere is warm and intimate. Again, not overwhelming, but just right. The service is attentive and friendly. I have not travelled to Mexico and, therefore, cannot speak to the authenticity of the food as some commentators have. But, I have eaten at many a Mexican restaurants and the flavors here are wonderful. I recently ate at a more upscale Mexican restaurant in Rittenhouse and, although, the prices were twice as much the flavor was 1/2 as good. This place is a gem. read more

GREAT food! GREAT atmosphere! GREAT service! We went for Valentine's Day. They had a special pre-fixe menu for 4 courses plus one cocktail. We both were very impressed with the food-a perfect combination and blend of flavors and none overtook the other. Looking forward to going back with friends to see the extensive regular menu - and of course or fantastic server! read more

I went to Las Bugambilias not because I had ever heard of it, but because I was in the area with some visitors and we really wanted some tacos. So I searched for tacos near me on Yelp and this was one of the options that it showed. It seemed to be rated highly, so we decided to give it a shot. We were not disappointed. We did not realize how small of a place it was until we wandered in and saw that the place was packed on a Sunday night. We definitely should have made a reservation - however, one of the highlights about this place for me was the fact that they really worked to accommodate us despite the fact that we were the ones who didn't know the drill! We only had to wait a couple of minutes and they had pushed together the only two free tables in the place (which people had JUST vacated). It was tight, but we didn't care and really appreciated the effort to seat us. The service continued to be great throughout the night- courteous, not overbearing but quite attentive. The food and drinks were excellent. The margaritas were delicious (though everyone in my group stuck with the classic margarita, they do have many types). The free chips and salsa were also quite good - particularly the salsas, which both tasted homemade. I found the spicy one to be very spicy (the spice lovers in my group were happy), but the flavor was so good for both. They didn't bring out many chips at first but we asked for more and got more with no problem. The menu was very interesting, with many options that aren't always found at American Mexican restaurants - and everything we had (fish tacos, tacos pastor, chicken mole, enchiladas) were all great. Everyone was happy, and I would certainly go back - with a reservation, especially for a larger party. read more

We love Las Bugambilias. Being from Phoenix, I am always looking for a fantastic, authentic Mexican place that we can frequent, thankfully we've found one. Their salsa and guacamole are delicious and made fresh and you can have it made more spicy if you prefer - which we do. I always enjoy the fish tacos and my partner, the chicken mole...and of course a pitcher of margaritas. My only con is the table size - small. Actually the whole restaurant is which isn't so bad just be careful how you order. We'll stagger when we place our orders just so that the table doesn't become uncomfortable. We apply this same idea if there w/ another couple. It can be like playing Tetris so everything fits! read more

Good food and portions for a good price! Margaritas are great and so is the happy hour. I have to say though some of the entrees are hit and miss which makes trying new things on the menu difficult. read more