Los Jimenez

Los Jimenez has changed owner and chef and is now called San Miguelito. Surprisingly, the food is just as great with an expanded selection. If you loved Los Jimenez, definitely check out San Miguelito.

Well… it was much smaller inside then I thought but im not a size queen. There were only two other customers but yet it took over a half an hour to make three tacos. to go, a little dissapointing. But I was still stoked to try the food after reading the reviews. The portions were, okay. The tacos were unfortunately a little bland and tasteless. Im from Arizona, so maybe my expectations were a little high considering the quality and taste of authentic Mexican food you get there?
Meh. I will try it again, only because the food that the other two customers had ordered looked good.
So…To Be Continued…

Wow, I would come back to this place anytime. Casual authentic Mexican, very fresh ingredients and reasonable price. Warning, it is really small inside so it’s probably not big group friendly. We tried two types of tacos: Fish ($ 9 for 3) and Al Pastor ($ 6 for 3) and both were excellent. The fish tacos were the best I’ve had in Philly. It’s not fried and overly coated like most places. The fish and avocado were very fresh. Al Pastor is always a classic I get at Mexican restaurants and these did not disappoint. The green and orange sauce/​salsa is seasoned perfectly. Definitely add the sauces to the tacos for an extra kick. Also, complimentary chips and salsa as a starter.

This place isn’t really anything special. The food is fresh and it’s good. but I’ve had much better Mexican food. It takes a long time for food to come out, and it’s just a no thrills, meat-​rice-​beans-​cheese type thing. And just for the record, the last TWO times I’ve been there they were closed when they were supposed to be open. Just because you put a sign in the window that says «We don’t open until 5pm today!» doesn’t make it OK to do any day of the week you want.
I won’t ever come back here.

We stumbled upon Los Jimenez on a Saturday afternoon and we were so glad we did. We started with chips and salsa as well as chips and guacamole. Both were great together. From there we moved on to the tacos al pastor. They were delicious. The pork was cooked to perfection on a spit and the pineapple was fresh. They are open most days for lunch and dinner and they are cash only. We can’t wait to go back!

Decent Mexican is not that hard to come by in Philadelphia, but really amazing authentic Mexican isn’t that common. This place is the real deal. It’s a little unassuming corner shop all the way in the deepest depths of South Philly with truly delicious food. We got their «cucumber water» which is a refreshing concoction of cucumber, lime, sugar and water. and then we got some chips and guacamole and al pastor and lengua tacos. the guac was some of the best I’ve ever had, and the tacos were also phenomenal. Meats marinated and cooked to perfection. Wish I’d taken a photo, but we were too hungry for that. Looks like I’m not alone either. all these 5 star reviews are pretty damn accurate.

The food is amazing!!! The staff is awesome!!! Very friendly. The chicken quesadilla are so good my wife and I love them can’t get enough of them!!! Love this place!!!

I’ve been here twice so far and each time has been really delicious and satisfying. I found this place thanks to Craig LaBan and it really sparked my interest when I learned that Chef Jimenez was a part of the Vetri family that ventured out on his own. The credibility is there because as soon as you walk in, you see a bunch of Vetri and Italian books on the counter top. Also, Mexican food is my kryptonite, so anytime there’s a chance to try a new Mexican place, I’m in!
It’s a small place that seats about 20 or so people, so don’t expect it to be very roomy. Reminds me of El Jaracho if you’re familiar with their layout. Comfort shouldn’t be your priority here, just great hospitality and awesome food! You’ll be started off with some potato chips and a chipotle type aioli sauce.
On my first visit I got some Al Pastor tacos, enchiladas, and guacamole. OH-​EM-​GEE! The guacamole is one of the best I’ve ever had — easily one of my top 3 from the city! I’ll put aside the ones I’ve had in Mexico in a separate category. It just had the right amount of creaminess, chunks of avocado, salt, and acid. Not to mention, it’s served in a stone mortar that resembles a pig! Do yourself a favor and get an order of guac — you’re welcome!
The Al Pastor tacos had so much flavor and the pork still had moisture and crispiness. I would say the size of the tacos aren’t your typical size you’ll see at most of the other Mexican resturants, they’re a little bit smaller similar to Blue Corn and Quetzally. The chicken enchilada was creamy and the chicken was moist.
The second time I went I got the pambazo and wow, that chorizo is amazing! Get ready for some heat though because of the dipped bread and have some napkins ready. This is where the cucumber lime water comes into play, order yourself a glass!
Part of the reason it was so memorable is because of the hospitality. If you get the chance, take the opportunity to chat with Chef Jimenez. You’ll find out a lot of his past and what he has in store for Philly. On our first visit, after we were so stuffed, he offered us complimentary pig’s head tacos! If you’re all for semi-​sweet, rich in fat and collagen, and adventurous, then you’ll want to give these a try. I found out we were able to try it because he was planning on putting it on the menu, so that was really cool to be a part of the feedback.
TL;DR — Awesome guacamole, delicious Al Pastor, try the pambazo, cucumber water, and really friendly service! Cheap too, starting at $ 6 for 3 tacos!

Another great meal at Justino’s place! If you haven’t been here go now! Well not now it’s a Monday.

This place is so good! Best of all, they close late. The tacos are extremely flavorful, you can really taste the spices, and the meat they use is top quality. The owner is so nice, the store was already close, but I forgot what time it was and I saw the open sign still on; I can tell he already clean the grill and everything, but he offered to still make it for me! Thanks so much, I’ll be recommending this place to everyone!

I’ve been here a few times and love the place a little more each time I go. The tacos are delicious, gotta have the Al Pastor, the Cucumber lime water is perfect in the summer and most recently I had the Pombazo sandwich and it was amazing and I can’t wait to go back just for that sandwich alone. Also for dessert the flan is damn good. I’ve tried a fair amount of things on the menu and haven’t been disappointed yet. The best part though is how intimate the place feels. It’s like your hanging at a friends place and the chef always makes us feel welcomed and comes over to ask about the meal and always open about answering questions about the food.

This place is incredible… We went in on a Sunday afternoon for lunch and ordered the raja tamales, shrimp tacos and the chicken tinga quesadillas. Everything was cooked to order, fresh and beyond delicious. The tortillas were light, the shrimp cooked to perfection and the chicken tinga… wow! In a city that has a lot of great Mexican joints, this place should be at the top of your list. I can’t wait to go back!

Great decision for a late lunch on Sunday! My fiancée and I came in with the intent of trying the al pastor tacos that we heard about through
.
We sat down and immediately received potato chips and spicy mayonnaise sauce which certainly made us hungry for more. Then Chef Justino was kind enough to come to the table and ask if we were interested in the tamale lunch special with three different sauces and meats. When the owner comes over and suggests a dish, I rarely say no, even though I was focused on the al pastor tacos.
The tamales were delicious, green sauce and pork in one, red sauce with beef in another, and lastly chicken with tomato sauce — all were delicious! At this point, Chef Justino came over again to ask what we would like as our main dishes with a suggestion of a pork loin with pinto beans and vedolagas (Mexican parsley or purslane). We couldn’t turn that down and also ordered a chicken quesadilla.
By this time I was sort of disappointed that we were not going to get the al pastor but when an chef suggests a special it is tough to resist. We are nearly stuffed and glad we can take a break but to my surprise, Chef Justino was nice enough to bring over two al pastor tacos and a cucumber lime water for us to try! I really appreciate when a chef or server goes above and beyond to make the customer happy and we absolutely loved the tacos and the flavored water! These two things alone will make me come back!
Our mains had made their way to the table, and even though we were almost full we couldn’t stop eating. The pork loin was such a perfect cut of meat, every slice was perfect and had very little fat! Accompanying the meat were deliciously seasoned pinto beans and verdolagas mixed with a bit of salsa verde which was fantastic. It really felt like a wonderful meal at home that was healthy and your grandmother made it, absolutely fantastic… plus we were the first ones to have it. Chef Justino keep this one going!
Lastly we were too stuffed to eat the entire quesadilla but we each tried a few bites and as past experiences show it was delectable. Gooey melted cheese with pinto beans, chicken, a little onion and some potato in the quesadilla… just plain awesome!
My best to Chef Justino Jimenez on his new venture, I will be back very soon with hungry customers!

I’m gonna start off by saying I’m vegetarian but I lust over the crispy potato sausage pambazo sandwich.
I go here a lot and usually get the flor de calabaza quesadilla, the gooey cheese and pickled squash is one of the most unique and delicate flavor, freshness and texture I’ve had in south philly. Theres an balancing of sweet, savory and sour that makes you appreciate everything Chef Jimenez does in the kitchen.
Speaking about the kitchen, the restaurant is set up so you can see everything thats going on. Everything looks meticulously scrubbed and clean. Its really interesting to watch as al pastor is sliced from the spit.
As for meat dishes I can’t really comment from experience, but I bring people here for the pambazo or al pastor taco’s and they all say its the best they have ever had. Especially the pambazo, dear christ I wish I could eat that pambazo.

Mañana tendremos todo el dia de 11:30am — 11:30pm Los Tacos de Pastor. A $ 1.00 el taco Al Pastor los ESPERAMOS

Update: the pambazo sandwich is covered with homemade guajillo emulsion. Like a sauce. A most beautiful crimson. Not guajillo powder!

Best burritos I’ve ever eaten congratulations Jimez are the best
Mejores burritos que he comido felicitaciones Jimez son los mejores

In my opinion the best tacos in philadelphia, one of my favorite places to eat. I am almost done their whole menu and there is nothing that i have not loved.

Chef Jimenez is the best!
All fresh, all perfectly prepared, all delicious. Nothing crazy fancy (although he did make an amazing tiramisu for dessert!) just perfectly seasoned tacos. The other reviewers have it down, the tacos al pastor is a must have.
A little out of the way being deep in South Philly but worth the trip.

Like your local taqueria, except run by someone with serious cooking chops. Everything was a notch above. The tables are set with fresh thin potato chips and a spicy mayo with a bit of lime, which is tangy and addictive. But order the tortilla chips with guac — the guac is made fresh and is simply outstanding. As others have noted the tacos al pastor are the best in Philly. The chef shaves the meat off the spit and then finely chops and crisps it and serves on blue corn tortillas with cartelized pineapple. The surprise hit of the night was chicken tinga quesadilla filled with a slightly spicy mixture of chicken tomatoes and onions. Oh and it’s Byob.

Try the pambazos !!! It’s to die for !!!
It has potatoea, chorizo, sour cream, chess & sauce.

Fantastic tacos and quesadillas! The chorizo tacos we’re my favorite. The chef came over to check on us to ensure everything came out as expected. He was very kind to our boisterous group of 7. The dining area is small but very clean and is open to the kitchen which allowed us to watch the master chef at work. I would highly recommend this place. Great prices too!