Los Catrines/Tequila's Bar

09/19/2007 Posted by vihaga

Overall, my husband and I haven't had great luck with Mexican in Philly, but Tequila's has been well worth repeated visits. The margaritas are fantastic, every appetizer we've tried has been tasty, and the entrees have always been interesting and delicious. In addition, we've never found the service to be anything less than pleasant and informative. A rare treat!

Pros: Lovely atmosphere, great food, awesome drinks!

Cons: None that I can think of.

09/03/2007 Posted by cgmorton

My girlfriend's sister was visiting for the weekend and said she'd like to have Mexican food for her Saturday dinner. So, after walking by and reading up on Los Catrines/Tequila's Bar on Locust Street I was almost sure I'd found the right place. Great ambiance, upscale appearance, and a great location would surely impress our guest. Sadly, things turned for the worse when we unknowingly failed to observe a rather strange 'policy' at the bottom of the dinner menu, which read something like all dining room patrons MUST order a full course meal. When the waiter returned to take our order, and my girlfriend and her sister were only hungry enough to each order a salad and share a plate of nachos with cheese, he repeatedly asked each of them, "YOU ARE NOT HAVING DINNER???" This approach left us feeling unwanted and unwelcome, despite the fact the bill came to over $75 anyway. In short, I have been to bar/restaurants where the dining room is reserved for people intending to eat (which we did), but to put patrons on the spot for not feeling up to two or three courses of heavy Mexican cuisine is OUTRAGEOUS. Moreover, I would've been more sympathetic to the restaurant if the dining room were even two-thirds full or if there was some sort of line of hungry and more 'worthy' patrons waiting for a table. This was not the case, the restaurant was barely over half full, and no one was waiting to be seated. Now I think I know why.

Pros: Nice design.

Cons: Rude service, not very good food.

08/27/2007 Posted by meadinthecellar

It is absolutely beautiful on the inside of this building...but I have never had worse food in my mouth, ever. The food was AWFUL. Absolutely Awful!! I was horrified that it was so bad...especially since from what they charge to eat such terrible food, they could also pay to have a good cuisine. The food served at Tequila's is the type of bland colorless food that people eat and simply because it's overpriced and in a beautiful building claim was AMAZING...well, I'll expose the Emperor's New Clothes: the food is nothing shy of horrible. The soul of a restaurant lies in its food. I was sick for hours after eating the Pollo Molina. The re-fried beans tasted like old paste (please don't ask how I know the taste of old paste). The soup tasted like flavored water, and the grasshoppers might as well have been crickets. They can afford to do better than this. Their margaritas may be fantastic, but I didn't come there to drink margaritas. I came there to eat excellent food. They should not profess to cook such food. ....as it were, someone on this site, I believe by the name of phillylanne, commented that the servers inside of the restaurant are "authentic." What an outrage. The wait-staff were all excellent. They were very congenial and wonderfully prompt...but to call them "authentic" is, like the food, in poor taste.

Pros: It's Beautiful Inside of Tequila's.

Cons: The food is unpalatable.

08/07/2007 Posted by nacazo

Imagine two fish patties with guacamole sauce in between. The ones you get at Burger King. That was the grouper "fish of the day" platter. It came in five minutes which probably means it was waiting in the microwave. On top of that super-expensive. Not impressed although the decor is very Mexican. I guess I was just looking for food.

Pros: decor, atmosphere

Cons: food

01/14/2007 Posted by marev

The restaurant is beautiful! The decor is lovely. Great atmosphere and friendly service. Apparently they brew their own tequila, so we tried the margartias. They were probably the best margaritas I have ever had. The food was just okay - not fantastic, which I was a little disappointed about, but I would recommend this place to try.

Pros: ambience. margaritas

11/15/2006 Posted by ritzgirl21

You're guaranteed to have a good time at Tequilas when you order up drinks with their signature tequila. They are all great, but I think the Mango Margarita may be my favorite. If you are very commited to drinking, you can order your own individual ceramic dispenser for your table. All these drinks go down well with the authentic mexican nachos and salsas that servers will deliver to your table. The kobe beef salad, langostinos and chicken mole are all mucho sabroso.

Pros: Dia de Los Muertos decor, authentic Mexican food

Cons: Seating near the bar is drafty and loud, Will not take reservations for small parties

11/15/2006 Posted by zetatreesh

Cheese, cheese and more cheese We went for a light bite and some drinks, the service was attentive and friendly. Mostly we ordered seafood dishes but when they arrived we were surprised by most of our selections. One was meant to be a combination of lobster, scallops and other seafood in a dish with cheese and peppers, at first I thought it was just me not tasting any seafood but others had ordered it and had the same experience. I turned over the huge gob of melted cheese only to find more cheese and peppers for $15.00, that's not my idea of value. They even covered the oysters with cheese. When I complained to our waiter he went to the manager, who then went to the chef, who told us that's the way it is. At the end they presented us with the bill which they had deducted the price of one dish. We expected more and were very disappointed in the food. I would sum this up by saying the food served does not begin to live up to it's description on the menu and I would never go back, not with all the other great restaurants in Philadelphia!

Pros: attractive place

Cons: food overpriced and not good

10/31/2006 Posted by phillylanne

Yes this resturant is beautiful, and the servers are authentic and knowledgeable but why go out to eat when you can cook a better steak at home? We Americans dine out so that we don't have to pull out the pans and wait in a grocery store lines. I gave Los Catrines/Tequila's three chances to 'fix itself' in it's kitchen and they blew it. I left disappointed AGAIN. Yes I admit, I kept returning for the romantic setting and the friendly staff. The bottom line is If you can't cook consistent food, I will not drop that $90.00 again no matter how good the margaritta's are. Drinks, a smile and a comfortable chair are a small part of a complete meal.

Pros: Service, Ambience

Cons: Parking, Non-Consistent Kitchen

10/19/2006 Posted by phillyfungirl

Everytime I have been to Tequila's it has been consistently AWESOME!!! The food is so tasty and well prepared, the portions are filling, the quality is outstanding, and the drinks are a perfect compliment to your meal. The salsa is so fresh and delicious that I wish they sold it in a grocery store! I could literally eat it with a spoon and be in heaven. There is such a variety on the menu that you could satisfy any picky eater and have an amazing dining experience. Not to mention, the service (although they usually have thick spanish accents) is impeccable! They are hardworking and very attentive to any needs you might have and are friendly to top it off-which is priceless especially in a city like Philadelphia that is known for it's rude service and so-so food.

Pros: Too many to mention!!

Cons: None

10/09/2006 Posted by briii

I've been to Tequila's only one time so far (of course I'll go again). We decided to sit sidewalk on a Wed night. We were seated immediately, I noticed even the sidewalk tables were elegantly covered with thick white tablecloths. We didn't go beyond the entrance but the inside areas looked well done and intimate. The service was friendly and competent. The chips and salsa were brought out quickly and were stellar. The chips were extremely crisp and flavorful, homemade. Honestly in my mind the standout of the experience was these chips (which isn't a shot at the remainder of the meal- I just enjoyed them that much). The salsas were a trio: one thick, one watery, and the third a very spicy mix of halved jalapenos and onions. awesome. The house margarita was very good, not spectacular. One minus for us was the vegetarian courses were non-existent. My girlfriend, a vegetarian, ended up ordering a kobe beef salad, hold the beef. She had mixed thoughts. I suspect that had the kobe been involved, it would have been an entirely different experience for the carnivorously inclined. I ordered a mango/grouper stuffed poblano pepper that was great. A unique dish, very well done. Pricey, but I will definitely come back.

Pros: Chips, Salsa, Great Regional Dishes

Cons: Not extremely eclectic, no vegetarian mains