El Vez, a local Mexican restaurant in downtown Philadelphia, should be on your radar to try when visiting the city. Up until I tried El Vez, my go-to restaurant was Plaza Azteca in Sicklerville. However, El Vez definitely gave my old favorite a run for its money. 

When I entered the restaurant, the wait time was approximately an hour and a half. Because I was downtown, I was able to look in local shops while I waited. Surprisingly, after waiting only half an hour, I received the text that my table was ready, which impressed me. 

The restaurant’s atmosphere really stuck out. Even though it was crowded, I still felt comfortable because of the warm colors and fun decor. It reminds me of the nightclub-style restaurants you see in movies. That’s the best way I could describe it.

The service was also phenomenal. They were swift about bringing the drink menu, which was surprising how many options they offered at El Vez. If you’re 21 or older, I recommend the Blanca which consists of white wine, peach nectar and seasonal fruit.  

Then, the waitress brought us our chips and salsa. This choice seemed pretty generic and basic, but I really enjoyed that the appetizer had three types of dips that came with the salsa. 

The first one was a generic spicy red salsa, the second was a combination of onions, peppers and cilantro and the third choice was what I thought was guacamole, but it was creamier and zestier than what I was expecting. That specific dip blended beautifully with the fresh salsa and dip. That was definitely one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had. 

I decided to keep my entrée simple and order a quesadilla but it was delicious. The sauces and dips that came with the quesadilla were queso with lemon and lime which doesn’t sound like it would be a tasty combination. Once you try it, it’s absolutely amazing. The best part of the actual quesadilla was how much of a “homemade” taste it had. The tortilla had the perfect mixture of soft and crispy. 

Overall, the experience really reminded me how much I loved city life from the amazing food to the drinks. El Vez is definitely worth the trip to Philadelphia. 

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