El Vez — Restaurant in Philadelphia

My wife, our two-year-old daughter, and I visited El Vez this past Friday evening, and we had a fantastic experience. As devout fans of Stephen Starr's restaurants, we've been to many of his other spots but, for some reason, had never made it to El Vez. We live closer to El Rey (another favorite of ours), which might explain why we hadn't ventured to the other side of Broad until now. After this visit, we can confidently say we'll be back--and we're already planning to bring my parents, who love Mexican food, on their next trip to Philly.

We arrived around 5:20 PM without a reservation, and despite the restaurant being packed, the hostess was incredibly kind, helpful, and welcoming. We were seated quickly, a pleasant surprise given the busy atmosphere. The space was much larger than I expected, with a great vibe and much energy. The central bar, complete with a lowrider bike on display, adds a unique touch, and the windows along the perimeter flood the room with natural light, which we appreciated.

The food was outstanding. We started with chips and guacamole, which were perfectly done. The Caesar salad was excellent. For our main courses, my wife had the steak tacos, and I opted for the taco sampler. We also shared a side of street corn. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We definitely overordered, but that's on us! Next time, we'll be more strategic, though every bite was worth it.

We didn't try the margaritas this time, but they're on my list for our next visit. The service was another highlight--our server was kind, attentive, and approachable, striking a great balance between being helpful and allowing us to enjoy our meal.

Overall, El Vez has a lively, welcoming atmosphere, excellent food, and great service. It's a perfect spot for a group meal or a casual family night out. We're thrilled we finally made it and can't wait to return--this time with more family and...

El Vez is a difficult restaurant to book during peak dining times and for good reason: it is a popular spot at the heart of center city with popular Mexican cuisine.

I booked a table for 4 weeks in advance through OpenTable for a Saturday evening at 4:45pm. Yes, that early. With some persistent checking, I was eventually able to secure a 6:45pm time.

When entering the restaurant, you are greeted by a friendly staff at the host stand or one of the many bartenders at the expansive center bar. Within minutes we were seated at a table in the center of the restaurant.

Within minutes we were greeted by our server who provided us with water and took our drink order. Our drinks arrived quickly and not long after our appetizer of chips and guac (with goat cheese). The guac was very good and the chips were crisp and cooked to perfection.

For dinner, the four of us paired up to share the Tacos al carbon with steak. When I say that the steak was excellent, I'm really saying that it was cooked exactly as we ordered, it was flavorful, and it was one of the best cuts of beef.

It's hard to find fault in a nearly perfect dining experience; however, there were three things that I should mention. First, the noise level is very high. This may be a plus for some, but the volume of noise can reach a level where it is nearly impossible to hear the person next to you. Second, it's just a nitpick, but it was a missed opportunity. We were asked if we wanted a second round of drinks. One person said yes, however, the drink never arrived. Since we were at the end of the meal, we let it go. Third, one of the people in my group didn't have a fork. Not a big deal. She asked for a fork twice but never received one.

Setting my minor complaints aside, El Vez is an excellent place to enjoy Mexican cuisine in the heart of Philly. The food is authentic and will compel you to return to try...

Just had a horrible experience here. Food and drinks were okay but not worth the treatment we received at the door. Keep an eye out for this man he was about 6’3, skinny older white man with white facial scruff and glasses .They had a bouncer who told us there was a two hour wait and that we couldn’t put our names down. My friend had called about five minutes before we got there and told us there was space at the bar, and if that space was no longer available we could put our names down. After telling him this he finally let my friend in. After five minutes or so I see her motioning for me from inside while a waiter was with her, so I assumed there was was a seat for us. I tell him hey that’s my party motioning for me to come in may I go. The bouncer forcefully sweeps me away with his arm and tells me I’m not coming in. He pushes my friend back inside, at this point I’m pissed off. My friend and I r both women I’m no taller than 5’2 and I’ve never been pushed like that in my life. I tell him hey my friend was with a waiter when you told her I couldn’t go in, doesn’t that mean the restaurant itself is telling us there is a seat for us, and maybe you should talk to that other waiter that you waved off who is telling you we cna come in? He tells me he doesn’t work here, the dude is literally wearing a shirt that says el vez. My friend inside complained to the hostess who finally sent someone to talk to him and he finally let me in, but I’ll never come here again. As I was waiting at the door I also watched him turn away every party that came up, saying there was a two hour wait, and not allowing them to put their names on the list. The only people he would allow inside to talk to the hostess were those who said they had a reservation. I hope they enjoy their loss of walk...