Walking into Palenque was cozy and warming as I got my pickup order. The decoration made it feel like I was in a happy home ready to serve buss ass food flavortown. Watch your step, this place has TWO floors (technically). Elotitos (8.1/10) - Not only was this my first time having baby elotes (they were just cut in half), they were also roasted which brought a new flavor that I never got from an elote before. The spice was strong, the corn was sweet, and the crema was crema-y. I wish the toppings were more evenly distributed, with some bites being pure spice and others being only crema or neither spice or crema. Quesabirria (8.4/10) - Solid taco, they did not skimp out on meat or cheese, oh god it's everywhere. The tortilla had a nice crunch with each bite, and the meat had a lot of juice to offer. Peppers and onions were beautifully included on the side which gave a depth a flavor that matched nicely with these tacosssss. Consome (7.4/10) - When i first dipped my taco in the consome, I didn't really catch much flavor from it. But after trying it on its own, there was some level of richness which also felt nice to drink (very warming). I was surprised to discover some rice on the bottom which added extra levels of soupiness. I recommend soaking your tacos in the consome after every bite, which really deepens the flavor and moisture in the taco. While you're at it get some of that rice on there too. Light green sauce (8.5/10) - My go to sauce option for mexican food, this sauce did not disappoint. Bringing both flavor anddd spice to the table. The viscosity was on the watery side a little bit, and the spiceness level was higher than i anticipated. Light red sauce (8.7/10) - This sauce was spicier than I was prepared for, but the flavor was even spicier. The combination of creaminess and spice really did for me, making this a personal preference of mine over my usually favorite green sauce. A light taste of tomato and pepper highlights this sauce, the creaminess of the sauce blended superbly with the tacos cheesy creaminess. BEWARE, this sauce can overpower your tacos and you will feel a burning sensation in the mouth and possibly throat (although tempting do not drink it pls) Dark green sauce (5.7/10) - I wasn't aware of this sauce variant. bringing the green sauce flavor and adding a smoky twist to it was a bold choice indeed. In my humble opinion, this combo doesn't do it for me, with the smokiness overtaking the rest of the flavors and leaving your mouth confused and spicy. Dark red sauce (5.8/10) - On these tacos, this smoky red sauce was overpowering to the point where they clashed. Although i do see potential in this sauce with a better pairing (i.x. chicken). I do appreciate the spicy tone you get in its aftertaste, but the barbecueness of the flavor just takes away from the taco and almost makes you forget that you're eating one. This meal was one thoroughly enjoyed by yours truly, and only receiving a lower rating than usual because I was still hungry :( Inca Kola not included with this meal, just my personal touch. I do NOT recommend drinking this after drinking all the sauces... Overall meal score - 8.5/10 read more

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Loved the vibe of this place - you know it's gonna be a good mexican restaurant when they have fun tiles on the tables, heh. But really their nachos were great and the steak on top was cooked perfectly. Looooved their hottest salsa as well as their salsa verde. The al pastor tacos were p decent but im giving them 4 stars because they had a pungent meat smell (which was surprising to me as the smell typically goes away once the meat has been marinated, so it has me questioning the quality of where they're sourcing from). You could tell everything was fresh and made in-house though! read more

Quaint mexican restaurant and pleasant staff members. I ordered the Torta de Milanesa accompanied with 4 different salsa (this is the first time I've been given salsa to pair with my torta) and it was all incredible! I love the fact that I was given 4 different types of salsa which were all delicious with my torta which was already amazing on its own. This restaurant is a must try and I'd come back without hesitation again. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Torta de milanesa - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

Very friendly local Mexican restaurant! Great relaxing place for a group to chill. They aren't cash only. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

I got takeout for the first time from here and it was absolutely amazing! So flavorful and great sized portions for the price! We got the quesabirria which I highly recommend, and the Al pastor tacos also highly recommend!!! Tacos and the quesadilla was packed with meat. The elotes was also a favorite! Can't wait to try more from here! read more

The service is fabulous. It had enough space to fit our table of 9. We shared the chicken and steak nachos. Both delicious. I got the tacos de lengua and hoped for more meat. The lemon slices were not also as fresh as I would have hoped. The desserts looked really good. At my table, we got the churros and chocoflan. Not a piece left on the plate. Very clean, nice staff, must try. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Chicken Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

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Attentive service, clean and beautiful restaurant, and portions are very generous while at a great price. Would highly recommend for a casual late dinner (open late!) or any meal throughout the day! read more

Palenque Restaurant - Vegetarian Huarache, Cantaloupe Agua Fresca, complimentary chips and salsas. - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

Absolutely a top in my book for SoPhilly dining. #1 BYOB. #2 the friendliest happiest server. #3 fresh fast and hot food. They bring chips to your table with mole and some beans and cheese. We had the additional chips and guac that was so good and fresh and not too oniony. I didn't try the corn but my friends loved it. Main meals... a chimmychanga?! I haven't had one of those since ChiChis! Open clean restaurant with hot hot fresh food. The server is attentive and so happy! He had a big smile the whole time. Just a pleasant place, energy and vibe with good FOOD. And BYOB! Go soon. read more

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Stop number two one the Yelp Taco Crawl, and it was one where we ate almost ALL THE TACOS! For a normal dining experience, I'd probably give Palenque a four when comparing it to other neighborhood taquerias in the area. But on an afternoon when we came in as a last minute party of eight, ordered six (eight? we ordered many!) different kinds of tacos to share among our table, and they delivered great service without missing a beat, I have to curve higher. Bonus points also go to Palenque being BYOB and having a random but very cool rooster-fighting mural within. Here are the highlights of the taco feast that we had: Gorbernador - Chili marinated shrimp served with avocado, chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, and chipotle mayo for all the flavor! Quesabirria - a mix of slow-cooked short rib, dry chili peppers, chihuahua cheese, cilantro, pickles, and onions ready to be dunked into a juicy consomme! Chile Relleno - deep friend jalapeno pepper served with fresh cheese and rice for the perfect vegetarian classic taco. Chorizo - sauteed and perfectly seasoned sausage so good! Tinga - Perfectly marinated chicken with a subtle bit of spiciness! Alambre - a megamix of steak, pastor pork, chorizo, chicken, and chicharron served with mushrooms, peppers, onions, Oaxaca cheese, avocado, and french fries!!! Santo Guacamole - a fresh and delicious classic with just the right amount of cilantro and lime. On a non-taco-feast I'm definitely coming back for Elote, huarache, tortas, fajitas mixtas, and more. But for a variety of great tacos Palenque is definitely pretty hard to beat! read more

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Every time we have came to Palenque the food has been so flavorful and delicious. The smells alone make your mouth water. I've found that their Suadero tacos are a must try. All the salsas had their own flavor profiles and spice levels. Very tasty and homemade. Their QuesaBirra tacos though!? 1000/10. read more

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The food was amazing, super authentic for someone who has been to Mexico and knows what it's supposed to taste like. The service was just as good as the Food highly recommend stopping by here. The ambience is relaxing typical Mexican place with beautiful music in the background The smell of delicious food cooking. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

Palenque nunca decepciona, la comida deliciosa, el servicio excelente, lugar limpio, el ambiente es sencillo pero muy agradable y los precios están bien. Es un lugar que nos complace ir con amigos. Gracias a todo el staff, volveremos pronto !! Palenque never disappoints, delicious food, excellent service, clean place, simple but very pleasant atmosphere and good prices. It is a place we are happy to go to with friends. Thanks to all the staff, we will be back soon!! read more

Palenque Restaurant - Nachos de birria - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

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RUN DONT WALK!. Their food is amazing, me and my friends when there yesterday and it was amazing, the service was amazing as well, it wasnt too busy it was just perfect. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

I took no photos, but I'm sure my fellow diners did. We had their specialty tacos: Chile relleno, fish, shrimp, alambres, quesabirria, plus chicken tinga and chorizo. Loved the fish taco. The alambres taco was also delicious. It had a bit of everything in it. They are BYOB. They serve you chips and salsa when you sit down. I don't think there was a charge. There was so much food that we took those home and made chilaquiles the next day. Quesabirria tacos were cheesy and good. Consome was flavorful. I'd return for those alambres tacos. read more

This is my first time dining in here. There's only one waitress but she was very friendly and attentive. We were served with complimentary chips with two kinds of dipping : chipotle and green sauce. Both were quite spicy. Service was unfortunately slow. It took a while for our appetizers. Guacamole was fresh served in a stone bowl. Elote: three small pieces of corn about a size of half corn. Very juicy with some charred spots topped with cojita cheese. Delicious. My entre was enchilada mole topped with fried egg. I pick guacamole and refried beans as my side dish. Enchiladas came in three smothered in fresh mole sauce. Each of them was fully stuffed with shredded chicken, tortillas were soft. After I finished this flavorful meal, the waitress explained that the mole sauce was made in house. No wonder it tasted homemade, not like coming from a can or a jar. My father in law had carne asada and his plate was full of different varieties of food. He enjoyed his meal. I definitely recommend this place when you're in Italian market read more

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Palenque never misses. Food is always fresh, portions are solid, and the flavors are on point. One of the best spots in the city for Mexican, hands down. read more

I really enjoy palenque. I actually enjoy it more than some other hyped locations in the area. The food is great taste and value. I enjoy getting takeout from here often and always feel like the portions are amazing for what I pay! The service is always very pleasant and I enjoy the small restaurant feel of the space. I would definitely recommend and I'm happy to see their business is doing well! read more

Always good, dependable, and multiple sauce options included with tacos. The shrimp gobernador and braised beef tacos are go-tos, and don't forget to add corn! read more

we were the only diners at this homey delicious Mexican spot- the adorable waitress assured us that they're doing great and lots of take-out went out, but we liked the food AND the atmosphere. the tacos bierra were delicious and not expensive either. husband loved his chile rellenos too. the appetizer nachos were the weak spot- weird cheese. But we will definitely be back. read more

Palenque Restaurant - pollo tacos and taco bierra - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

I miss Veracruzana, but Palenque hits the spot for about the same price. The menu is a little more focused, but everything still slaps. Chips and salsa, al pastor, guac, the usual. Check it out. Pretty sure it's still BYO. read more

One of the few restaurants in the area with fresh ceviche, and it is DELICIOUS and plentiful. We also got Al pastor tacos and tenders/fries for the kid. Best Mexican I've had in a long time. Do not sleep on this place. read more

So fucking good. Ordered on doordash, so can't speak to service or ambiance, but the food is just perfect. Great value, wonderful flavor, generous portions. Highly recommend! read more

We never thought Taqueria La Veracruzana, the restaurant that used to be at this location, could be replaced, but Palenque is a worthy contender. Having just returned from two months in the Bay Area where I ate (more than) my fill of Mexican food, I can say that at least when it comes to tacos, burritos, enchiladas, guacamole, etc., Palenque is helping with the transition. read more

Amazing service! The ambiance feels warm, welcoming and is very clean. The food was delicious! I recommend the homemade mango water and bistec tacos and bistec burrito. 5 out of 5! Highly recommend! read more

This restaurant is a hidden gem and definitely a place for people who love traditional styles. Chef Jesus is cooking the food with love at his new place on Washington Avenue and 9th street. The place is a BYOB but serves food until 2am on Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays so definitely my new late night spot. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Great Mexican food. I've been many times. My family loves going to this restaurant too. Nice staff and good service. The atmosphere is authentic with good music, tile tables and nice decor. The tacos and the platters are great and the soups are worth trying. I'll be back. read more

Hands down one of the best Mexican spots in Philly. Everything is insanely good - tacos, burritos, platos, churros. You can tell it's made with love just from how well they package your takeout orders. 12/10 highly highly recommended read more

SO GOOD!! Get the giant Mayan Molcajete. The best thing $35 can get you in the city! Everything was really fresh and the service was friendly and quick. Will be back soon! read more

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Just a quick review but we were looking for a not crowded place for a small birthday party and chose this place. Great service and all of our dishes were very good. I love that they give you some refried beans with the comped fried tortilla chips before the meal and a sampler of 4 sauces. All of our meals were very good, tasty and inexpensive. And loved the service. I guess this is what you call a hidden gem. I typically don't like to give my secrets away but these folks are very nice and they deserve a chance to succeed. There is a sea of taquerias and such in the area but I really liked this one. read more

Extremely fine. Does it deserve a fifth star? For what it is? Maybe. I want to try more dishes. But these people are serious.

The food was really well executed. Everything was cooked perfectly, garnished and well plated. The service was good and too and I love the big mural on the wall. read more

Wow! Amazingly delicious food for a great price! My Mexican friend treated me to dinner here last night and the food was so good I ate everything on my plate. We had horchata and a pineapple drink, freshly made tortilla chips with a salsa verde and an ancho salsa, both were delicious and not too spicy. I had Enchiladas Mole with fried potatoes and guacamole. The Mole was the best Ive had since a Mexican friend made me his grandmother's mole recipe in Austin Tx. The guacamole had a beautiful and delicate flavor. All was very fresh. Our waitress was sweet and gave us just the right amount of attention. I highly recommend! read more

I went here for the first time a couple months ago and had a great experience. Super friendly people who work here, and the food is great. Great hang out spot. I've been here a lot recently with my friends. Most recently, I came here on Friday night with a large party. I split some steak nachos with one of my friends, and I ordered Quesabirria tacos. Every time I've been here, I haven't been disappointed. However, there was one time I came with a friend and it wasn't as good. It was still good, but it wasn't as good as the previous time I went which was on a Friday night. This happened to be on a Tuesday night I believe. I've been here at least 5 times by now. And that was the only time I went when the food wasn't as good. I always order either a burrito or tacos when I come here. Can't go wrong. Another spot added to the ever growing list of good quality, authentic Mexican spots in South Philly. I was a long time customer of the previous restaurant when it was Taqueria La Veracruzana. I really hope this place does well. They Just need to stay consistent with the food quality. That's my only criticism. My meal the other night was fantastic. Honestly, some of the best birria tacos I've ever had! The nachos were awesome too! I love coming here with my friends, and would like to have my parents try it at some point as well! I will spread the word. read more

Palenque Restaurant - Quesabirria Taco - Mexican Near Me - Phila, Pennsylvania

Excellent food and friendly staff. I recommend the Birria tacos, mole enchiladas ( really rich and warming meal), and the chicken enchiladas verdes. Fast service and a cozy environment too. We'll be going back again and again! read more

My husband and I went here for lunch and really enjoyed it. The service was great and we loved all the food. We ordered nachos, vegg chile tacos, steak burrito, hot coffee and horchata. we'll definitely be back. read more

Start with service: cheerful and efficient, even with just one server and a lot of diners. But the food gets the stars, too. We shared the Guacamole Trio -- three generous dishes, one with mango and toasted almonds, one with pomegranate seeds and tiny bits of cucumber, and one with perfect classic style, all accompanied by abundant tortilla chips, plain and blue corn. Along with it, we shared an Al Pastor Chimichanga -- big, stuffed with fresh chicken, rice and other ingredients, fried just long enough to be lightly crisp but not soggy, as these things so often are elsewhere, and topped with just the right amount of an outstanding mole sauce -- the perfect blend of deep chocolate and a touch of something like tamarind, a whisper of cinnamon. We were fans of Veracruzana, and this will continue to be our 9th Street go-to for Mexican food. read more

Amazing experience! We came in at 10 pm on a Friday and they served us right away and made us feel at home. Mauricio was a great server and the food was amazing. You can taste that the love and integrity of the space. Thanks for having us :) read more